My Not-so-Forged Wedding
by SuzunoKoi
Summary: Mashiro Tsuneha comes to live with Yamato Kougami one day, but since Yamato isn't at home, she has to wait until he gets back. When he does come home, he is greeted by Mashiro. He soon finds outs that she is his future wife, and confronts Kunihiko Aikawa about the marriage.
1. Episode 1

All of a Sudden… a Maiden Appears and a Bachelor Opens Up

Knock. Knock.

_What is this? A joke? _A girl with fawn hair thought after knocking on the apartment door twice.

She had been waiting for someone to answer the door for several minutes, but no one had come out. Shortly afterward, one of the neighbors came out and glanced at the girl's direction.

"Oh?" It was a woman who was about ten years older than her. "Are you looking for Mr. Kougami?"

The fawn-haired girl looked to her left. Her solemn expression soon became a heartwarming smile. "Yes. I was wondering where he was since no one had opened the door after I knocked on it. Would you know where he would be?"

The woman's eyes widened in surprise, which soon turned into a somewhat apologetic one. She placed her left hand on the side of her face and tilted her head to the side. "Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Kougami isn't home at the moment. He left to go to work about an hour ago. If I had known he was expecting a guest to arrive, I would have informed him sooner."

"Eh…?" The woman's words immediately struck the girl. Then, she blinked and suddenly had a sad and slightly wrecked expression on her face. "He's not here…? Then, where is he?"

The woman frowned. "To be precise, all I really know is that he works at an all-girls high school. Perhaps you can find a way to meet him later?"

"Oh." There was a frown etched onto her face when she heard those words. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Ma'am. I'll see if I can contact him later."

The woman smiled with her eyes closed. "You don't have to think of it that way. I'm sorry I couldn't help you." She gave a light bow with her head. "Then, I'll be going back inside now. It was nice to meet you, though."

"Yes," the fawn-haired girl nodded. "It was nice to see you, too."

After that, the woman went back to her apartment, leaving the girl all alone outside.

The girl sighed and took out her cell phone. "Guess I'll have to call Kun Kun, then." She dialed a number listed under the name 'Kunihiko Aikawa' and hit the call button. Immediately after she placed the phone next to her ear, the person on the other line picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" the girl said. "It's Mashiro. Yamato's not at home right now, so can I come visit you right now? I don't have anywhere else to go, so…"

Kunihiko chuckled slightly. "I see. Well, you're welcome to come over anytime. I'm free right now, so I'll be waiting for you over at Long Island."

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes," Mashiro nodded.

And like she told the man named Kunihiko Aikawa, Mashiro had walked all the way to a nearby sports bar called Long Island and opened the door, walking into the building.

"Kun Kun?" she looked around. "I'm here~!"

"Oh! Mashiro! You're here!" a man with shaggy purple hair exclaimed as he walked up to Mashiro.

"That's what I just said," the fawn-haired girl told the older man.

Kunihiko held out a key in front of the girl. "Anyway, here. Have this."

Mashiro blinked. "What's it for?" She held out both of her hands as she looked at the key.

"Hmm?" Kunihiko smiled. He placed the key gently onto Mashiro's palms and put his hand into his pocket located on his pair of shorts. "I got this for you since you said Yamato wasn't home. It's an extra copy to his apartment door."

Suddenly, a delighted smile formed on the fawn-haired girl's face. She then looked at Kunihiko with her hands still held out. "You mean I can go into his apartment now?"

"That's right," Kunihiko confirmed. "But before that, how about I get you something to eat first? You must be hungry after coming here."

Mashiro nodded excitedly. "Un! I'll make sure to help you clean up after I'm done, Kun Kun! Can we eat together?"

"Of course!" the purple-haired man beamed. "I haven't seen you in a while, so let's have our first meal together (after meeting up again) to celebrate our reunion! It's been a long time since we ate with each other! I'll even tell you everything I know after this! So what would you like to have?"

"Hamburger!" Mashiro shouted happily. "And an omelet! Actually, I'm starving, so let's eat a lot today!"

Kunihiko laughed wholeheartedly. "Hamburgers and omelets, and everything we can eat, huh? You haven't changed one bit. Let's think of this as a late lunch/early lunch. I'll get everything together and teach you as much as I can about the area. Then we can go to Yamato's apartment together and make something for him before he gets home. How about it?"

Mashiro nodded once more. "Yeah!"

"Hmm… But for hamburger…" Kunihiko began to think about what to prepare first as the two of them were getting into the moment.

After several hours had passed by, Yamato had finally gotten off work for the night. He took out his house key and unlocked the door. Once he stepped inside, he was greeted by his "pet," which was a small robot vacuum cleaner by the name, Roomba.

"I'm home, Roomba," Yamato smiled when he saw it come up to him. "You seem happier today. Did something good happen while I was away?"

For a second there, it seemed as if a light flashed from Roomba. It was as though the small appliance was beaming with glee.

"Hm? Why are you all hyped up for?" the auburn-haired man asked.

Roomba soon skidded away.

Soon enough, Mashiro hurried out from the kitchen and dining room happily to greet the owner of the apartment. "Welcome home! Dinner's ready, so let's eat together!"

"Huh? Who are you?" Yamato asked. He wasn't sure why, but the fawn-haired girl seemed to have been waiting for him this whole time.

Mashiro kept smiling. "Hmm? I'm Mashiro, of course! I'm your future wife."

"HUH?!"

There were hardly any words to describe what he had just heard. Indeed, Yamato was already in a state of shock. However, Mashiro had the same smile on her face.

"Like I said, silly," she answered. "I'm going to become your wife soon, so it's only natural that I would be waiting for you to return from work. I even had a bit of help preparing dinner for you."

"…"

Soon, Yamato came back to his senses.

"Who told you to come here?" he asked the fawn-haired girl.

Mashiro tilted her head to the side. "? Didn't you say you wanted someone to be your wife?"

Yamato blinked. "Huh?"

"I mean, you told Kun Kun that you needed one, right?" Mashiro continued. "So he asked me to come here and live with you."

Right then and there, it was all coming back to him.

"Ah!"

_A few days ago…_

_ "Hey, Kuni," Yamato began. "There's something I need to ask you."_

_ Kunihiko glanced at the auburn-haired man in front of him and smiled. "What can I help you with, Yamato?"_

_ "Well…" Yamato looked to the side as if something was troubling him. "At the interview today… they asked me if I was married. I lied and told them that I was, but I need someone to become my wife. If word gets out that I'm not actually married, they'll fire me in the blink of an eye. So… I need you to help me out here and find someone who'll agree to marry me."_

_ Kunihiko rubbed the back to his head. "Ooh… That's… a tough one there. I'm actually in a bind myself here, Yamato. You see, the others have already asked me today to help them find someone, as well. They all came at different times, and I couldn't refuse them all. In fact, you're the last one to come to me for help on this."_

_ "Darn…" Yamato had a depressed expression on his face. "I don't know if I can find someone before they find out about my marital status. Keeping this job is really important to me right now, Kuni."_

_ The bar owner smiled again. "Look, Yamato. I'll let you in on this. I'll try to find someone who can help you out, but try not to be rude to her. I have someone in mind right now, and it looks like she's in need of a place to go. So if you promise me that you'll help her out, I'll contact her and ask if she wants to come here and live with you."_

_ "You really mean it?" Yamato asked. He was astonished by Kunihiko's offer._

_ Without a doubt, the purple-haired man nodded. "Of course. All you have to do is accept my offer and I'll phone her right away. What do you say?"_

_ "Alright!" the auburn-haired man exclaimed. "Thanks, Kuni!"_

_ "No problem," Kunihiko replied. "Be nice to her, okay? She's a nice girl, so I don't want you to hurt her feelings."_

_ "Don't worry," Yamato assured him. "I'll take care of her like she's one of my own relatives."_

_ Kunihiko looked at Yamato and smiled warmly. "A deal's a deal. I'm counting on you to make her happy, Yamato. And… thank you."_

"I see," Yamato remembered. "Well, that part's true. I _do_ need someone to be my wife, but what I meant was that I wanted you to become my fake wife."

Mashiro tilted her head to the side. Again. "Not a real one? You don't want to actually marry me?"

"Uh…" Yamato trailed off, having a conflicted expression on his face.

_Shoot. _He entered his thoughts. _I forgot to tell Kuni that I wanted to have a fake marriage, not a _real_ one! Argh!_

He sighed and stared at the fawn-haired girl in front of him.

_Guess I have no choice, then. I'm going to have to commit to this relationship that I've started with her._

"Look." His gaze was intense as he kept staring at Mashiro. "I don't know what Kuni told you beforehand. But about getting married to you… I want to make things clear about this. I—"

The fawn-haired girl saw his expression and smile. "Um… How about we have dinner first? Anyway, let me introduce myself first." She placed her hands on the lower half of her apron and bowed before looking straight at the auburn-haired man in front of her. "My name is Mashiro Tsuneha. I am twenty-two years old, and I have come here to fulfil Kunihiko Aikawa-sama's request to become your wife. I hope to get along with you from this moment on, Yamato. I also know about your situation, so I'll do my best to show you and everyone else around you that I am a perfect housewife, and that I truly love you with all my heart no matter what. Even if the situation becomes difficult for the two of us, I will continue to support you as your one and only wife. Oh, and…" She kept smiling sincerely as she added the rest. "This is not only an introduction, but also a vow to you. I am not just saying this because of our circumstances; I am a maiden who has fallen in love with you without knowing what you looked like before I came here. I did not even know much about you but what Kunihiko-sama has told me about you. However, your genuine acceptance to provide a place for me to stay had touched my heart since no one else would take me in easily."

The endearing look on Mashiro face made Yamato's heart skip a beat as he saw how earnest she was. He couldn't help but blush as he kept looking at her face.

At that instant, he averted his eyes away from hers and had his arms folded against his chest. "Uh… Yeah. Whatever. Let's just have dinner together first. Anyway, I'm Yamato Kougami, your h-husband-to-be. I hope to get along with you as well, Mashiro."

Hearing those words come out of Yamato's mouth, Mashiro couldn't help but smile happily. She placed her fingers together in front of her, expressing both directly and indirectly how much joy she felt towards the auburn-haired man.

"Un!" She nodded as her feelings overflowed from within her chest.

While Mashiro was taking a bath, Yamato stood in front of his house phone. He stared at it for a moment as he sorted his thoughts out.

_I'm gonna have to call Kuni and talk to him about this. It was because of me that I got Mashiro involved. And that they both believe that we're going to get officially married._

He picked up the phone and dialed Kunihiko's bar number. Within a few seconds, the call got through.

"Hello?" Yep. It was definitely Kunihiko on the other end.

"Kuni?" Yamato breathed. "We need to talk."

Kunihiko smiled casually. "Hmm? Is this about Mashiro?"

"Yeah," Yamato nodded. "Look, I… I didn't properly explain everything to you when I asked for your help on finding someone to be my wife." He took a deep breath and exhaled. "What I forgot to tell you before was that I wanted to have a fake marriage with her, not have her come here so that she would actually get married to me. That's all."

Kunihiko's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh? That's what you wanted to tell me?" A somber smile spread across his face. "To tell you the truth, Yamato… I knew you wanted that when you came to me for help not too long ago. I just didn't say that I would have you unofficially marry Mashiro. Instead, I actually wanted you to go through with this marriage with her. In fact, you're scheduled to get married to her a week from today."

"Wait, what?!" Now, it was Yamato's turn to be surprised. "Kuni, what do you mean by that?!"

Kunihiko blinked. "I meant what I just told you, Yamato. After you promised to take care of Mashiro and make her happy, I called her and told her there's someone who was willing to take care of her and provide a place for her to live in. I also told her that you wanted to marry someone, and that it would be her. You just happened to strike a deal with me that day." Clever yet somewhat deceiving, Kunihiko relayed the truth of this ordeal to the auburn-haired man who was still beginning his career and new life.

Yamato's anger was now flaring up from inside. "Kuni, you—"

"However, I don't mean any harm in this, Yamato," the sports bar owner continued. "The reason I did this was for you two to find happiness from this marriage, and not just any happiness—I wanted you of all people, along with Mashiro, to find true happiness from each other's company."

Yamato listened quietly. He was currently confused. "…True happiness…? What do you mean by that?"

"You'll see one day, Yamato." Kunihiko smiled on the other side of the phone call. "For now, just try to get through this marriage together with her. That's all I can really tell you right now."

Yamato sighed and complied to the latter's request. "I understand. I won't question you about this for now, but did you really get everything ready for next Saturday?"

"?" Yamato could hear a chuckle on the other end of the line. "Do you even have to ask me that? Of course I did. Well… I only filed in the marriage certificate. You two can just wear casual clothing next week. It's not like I was going to set up a whole wedding reception at a restaurant or anything for you to get married right there in a tuxedo, Yamato. Just find some suitable clothes and do whatever's comfortable for you when the day comes."

"That's easy for _you_ to say," the auburn-haired man muttered under his breath. "I've only got a week to get ready for this! And it's not just me, but Mashiro has to participate as well!"

"Don't sweat the small stuff! It'll be fun!" the purple-haired man beamed. He quickly returned to his usual expression and smiled lightly. "Anyway, take care of Mashiro for me, okay?"

Yamato nodded with exhaustion all over his body. "Alright. See you later, Kuni."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you this, Yamato," Kunihiko mentioned. "We're meeting up tomorrow, so make sure to bring Mashiro with you. Bye!"

He hung up, leaving Yamato standing alone in the living room. Yamato sighed and put the phone down in its place. He turned towards the direction of the bathroom afterwards.

"Guess I better check up on her," he told himself.

He walked towards the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Mashiro? You in here?"

No answer.

"? Is she in the bedroom or something?" He looked towards the inner section of the hallway and walked towards his bedroom. Then, he opened the door. "Mashiro?"

Inside of Yamato's bedroom was the sleeping figure of said wife-to-be. She had changed into a different set of clothes than the ones she wore that morning. The blanket was only covering up the lower half of her body; Yamato walked up to the bed and pulled the blanket over to where it was nearly over Mashiro's shoulder. When he pulled away from her body, Mashiro turned in her sleep, now lying on her back. Yamato couldn't help but notice how beautiful the fawn-haired girl's face was, and came closer. His face was now close to Mashiro's and soon enough, his lips had touched hers for approximately three seconds before he pulled away.

As he looked at her, the auburn-haired man smiled tenderly. Before he knew it, a bundle of novel feelings were beginning to sprout from within his entire being like a chemical reaction.

"Goodnight, Mashiro," Yamato said, staring at the sleeping girl once more.

After that, he turned around and walked out the door, parting ways with Mashiro for the night.

The next day, the two of them entered Long Island and were greeted by everyone.

"Good morning, Yamato, Mashiro." There was Kunihiko with his typical smiled plastered onto his face. "Did you have a good night together yesterday?"

Mashiro smiled cheerfully. "Yes! It was nice having dinner together with Yamato yesterday."

"Looks like you had a lot of fun in your new home," the purple-haired man noted. "That's wonderful!"

Takao Maruyama smiled. "It sounds like you've gotten used to living with Yamato."

"So the newlywed life must be working out for you two, huh?" Yuta Kajima asked. "Bet there's gonna be a lot of exciting things to do once you start having kids."

"Wha—" Yamato's face became a bright shade of red at that second.

Takamasa Saeki smirked. "Don't encourage them, Yuta. Or rather, don't courage _Yamato_, that is. Who knows what he'll do to her later on."

"Oh. Right." Yuta turned away, a little disturbed from Takamasa's suggestion.

Ren Shibasaki stared intently at Yamato. "…"

"Anyway," Yamato said, "let me introduce you." He glanced at Mashiro and had a smirk of his own to rival Takamasa's. "This is my soon-to-be wife, Mashiro."

…

There was an uninterested silence that filled the entire bar. Just like the indifferent expression Ren had on his face, the room had a dead atmosphere surrounding the entire area.

"What's with the air here?" Yamato inquired. "Why aren't you guys saying anything?"

Takao's eyes widened, surprised at the auburn-haired man's obliviousness. "Yamato, do you really not know?"

Yamato turned towards Takao. "Huh? What?"

Yuta now had a puzzled look on his face. "Seriously, man? We already knew about Mashiro before you introduced her to us."

"What?!" Yamato was taken aback by what he just heard. "You guys already knew about her?!"

Takamasa sneered. "Looks like Yamato over here didn't get the clue after all."

"Sometimes, a man can be dense about the situation," Ren commented nonchalantly. "It was unusual in Yamato's case."

Kunihiko laughed enthusiastically. "Anyway, how about we all celebrate for the upcoming bride and groom? They seem to be getting along well, don't you think?"

"It's nice to see a couple in a group," Takao smiled again. "Congratulations, Yamato. You as well, Mashiro."

Mashiro smiled elatedly. "Thank you, Takao-san!"

"Hopefully they're not getting along _too_ well," Takamasa teased. He enjoyed getting on Yamato's nerves, and everyone knew it.

Yuta frowned. "I think you're going a little too far there, Saeki."

"I don't know~," Takamasa smiled in an oddly pleasant manner. "Yamato might have done something to Mashiro while she was asleep last night. There's always a chance of something like that happening nowadays, Yuta."

"Err… You _do_ have a point there," Yuta admitted.

Takao blinked with an astonished look on his face. "Wait, so are we calling Yamato a pervert?"

"It could be possible, given the circumstances," Ren pointed out. "So there's a chance of it happening."

"I bet Yamato here wouldn't think twice about trying to force himself on Mashiro once they're alone in the bedroom," Takamasa smirked. "He _does_ seem like a dangerous and possessive guy."

Yamato's face flushed incredibly. "Wha—That's not something I would do, Saeki!"

Suddenly, they heard something drop on the floor. When everyone turned around to see what it was, they saw a girl who had a shocked expression on her face. She had long, turquoise hair that reached past her knees and icy blue eyes. She was holding onto her luggage with her right hand and her left hand was empty. What she had been holding in her free hand was now on the floor as she stared at the group of men far from her.

"Wh… Wh… Wh… Wh… What are you all doing?!" she yelled furiously, having heard the last bits of the conversation when she came in a few minutes ago. Her face was still flushed as her anger soared to the top of the ceiling.


	2. Episode 2

A Pleasant Surprise and Ren's Fiancée

"I bet Yamato here wouldn't think twice about trying to force himself on Mashiro when they're alone in his apartment," Takamasa smirked. "He _is_ a possessive guy, after all. And someone like him is more likely to be as sly as a fox at least."

"Sh-Shut up, Saeki!" Yamato's face flushed deep red, and it was indeed redder than a tomato at that moment, as he averted his eyes to turn away from the conversation.

Right then and there, something had dropped onto the floor. As everyone looked to see what had happened, a girl with long, turquoise hair and icy eyes was standing in front of the doorway. She had a furious expression on her face, and the top of her cheeks had a tint of red on them as she stood there. She held the luggage in her right hand with a firm and tight grip while her left hand was empty and stiff from dropping the pack-filled envelope on the floor.

"Wh-What the heck are you doing?!" she yelled angrily at the two men who were chatting before. She could not believe what she had just heard come out of their mouths when she walked in moments before. "Talking about something like out in the open inside a public building. You aren't the only ones who come to this place, you know!"

Yamato's eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. "And who are you? You're not someone I've seen before, much less had a conversation with until now."

All of a sudden, Mashiro's eyes widened as a delighted smile appeared on her face. "Sophie! You're here!" She hurried over to the furious girl. "It's been a while since I last saw you. Although," she added, "it's only been two weeks since then." Then, she bent down and picked up the envelope that was next to the turquoise-haired girl's left foot. After that, she stood back up and handed it to her friend. "Here. You dropped your next manuscript, right? When's it going to come out?"

"…Un. Arigato," Sophie nodded and took the manuscript from Mashiro's hand. "About that… It's going to be a surprise. So, just wait a bit more, okay? I'll have it ready for you as soon as I can."

Mashiro returned her friend's nod. "Un! I'll wait for it to get released, so I can read it on that day. By the way, what brings you here today, Sophie?"

Sophie looked down at the floor. "Ano…"

"I gave her a call and told her to come here," Kunihiko responded in his usual manner. "Since you and Yamato are going to get married soon, I thought I'd let her know. Besides, the more the merrier. It feels nice to have someone you're familiar with to send you off on an occasion like this, so we can make the most of it this way."

Mashiro's eyes widened at that realization. "…!" Then, a smile spread across her face. "Really?! You came all the way here to congratulate me?! Sophie…" Overwhelmed with several emotions, Mashiro hugged the turquoise-haired girl, who was still holding onto her belongings.

Sophie returned the fawn-haired girl's embrace and gave a slight nod. "Un."

"What's with her?!" Yamato muttered so that the guys could hear; he was still in an unpleasant mood. "First she gets angry at us, and then she hugs my bride-to-be! What the heck is her problem, anyway?!"

"Calm down, Yamato," Ren said to his friend.

Takamasa nodded. "That's right. You shouldn't take that tone out on a girl. It's unmanly."

"And whose fault is it that I'm in a bad mood right now?!" Yamato barked back. He definitely wasn't on his high horse at the moment.

Yuta sighed. "Geez, Yamato. You get so worked up on things like these so easily. Try to cool down a bit, okay? You'll make yourself look even worse in front of Mashiro."

"Fine," the auburn-haired man grumbled. He grabbed a glass of beer and took a drink from it. "There. I'm all calm now. Happy?"

Yuta smiled. "Very. Try not to get upset over something like this, alright? You've got you career ahead of you, so don't ruin it by making a fuss or anything. It's bad enough that your personality's like a twisted, rotten young adult's."

Takao nodded. "Yuta's right, Yamato. You should try to soften up a bit for a change. It might not be a bad thing." He smiled lovingly like an older brother would. "I'm sure Mashiro would like that, as well."

"Not like I need to change myself overnight," the auburn-haired man said. "I can just take my time to do something like that, right?"

Takamasa shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Even if you say something like that, you're bound to change. Meeting Mashiro had probably already changed who you are, Yamato. I can feel a different air around you today. It's not like when the five of us, including Kuni, hung out together before. It's as if you've started to transform into a new person, someone a little… unn… kinder, I'd say."

Yuta's eyes widened. "Now that you mentioned it, I can feel it, too. It's like Yamato's giving off a fuzzy aura wherever he goes or something."

"…It's the power of love…" Ren commented, staring down at the floor as if he was becoming ill due to Yamato's presence.

Takao was astonished by the stoic young man's words. "Ren?!" At the same time, he was also worried for him. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Ren continued to look down at the floor. "…It's nothing…"

"I'm surprised that Ren could say something like that," Yuta commented.

Takamasa nodded. "Yeah. It's as if he's been struck with the same illness that Yamato has."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Yamato asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Yuta sweat-dropped. "I don't think so."

Suddenly, Kunihiko smiled enthusiastically. "Alright! Let's start celebrating, shall we?" He raised a glass of beer from the counter. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Mashiro had let to go of Sophie at that point and put both of her hands together.

Sophie herself was now confused; she blinked and titled her head to her right. "Nn?" Another blink.

And so, the party began. Everyone had started out with drinks at the start of the morning, which soon shifted to an almost (but barely) mid-afternoon.

It was already two in the afternoon, and everyone, except for Kunihiko, were gathered around the table the guys had been sitting at. Sophie was now sitting next to Ren on the indifferent blond's right side; she sat up straight, folding her arms against her stomach.

The turquoise-haired girl glared at the man across from her. "…"

"What?" Yamato furrowed his eyebrows, irritated by Sophie's heated anger. "If you have something to say, just say it and get it over with already."

Uh-oh.

That only made it worse, as the turquoise-haired girl was _not_ in a very good mood that day.

"And who do you think you're talking to, young man?" Sophie asked in a similar annoyed tone. Yamato's appearance, along with his voice, had instantly put her off.

Yamato's eyes widened faintly. He was a bit taken aback at hearing those words. "What?"

This was not good. Sophie continued in her same manner.

"I'll have you know," she said. "The way you're speaking right now is not the tone you should be using when speaking to a lady. How on earth do you expect me to approve of you getting married to Mashiro like that? You should be ashamed of yourself," she ranted. "And to top it all off, you don't even show any tact towards your future wife's best friend. Isn't that more than enough to say that you don't even respect others, unless you can benefit from getting something you want?"

"Hey—" Yamato began to protest, but was cut off.

Sophie's detest for Yamato showed on her face. "Do you think I don't know about your situation, Yamato Kougami?! A liar such as yourself shouldn't request Kunihiko-sama to find you a wife just so you can fool the teachers and staff that you're married. And what's even worse, is that you've also fooled your very own students about your marital status. Isn't that the most atrocious thing a teacher can do?! Your past and current actions horrify me to the very extent of having to lecture you on them. Do you really believe that you deserve an amazing young woman like Mashiro?"

"What's the heck's your goddamn problem, anyway?!" Yamato argued. "First, you walk in here. Second, you get angry at us. Third, you hog Mashiro all to yourself. Fourth, you act as though you don't know what's going on. And _last_, you start fuming at me like you can't even _stand_ the sight of me! What kind of woman gives a man an attitude like that?!"

Sophie's internal rage only became worse than before. She was now showing a bit more resentment towards the auburn-haired man. "That's right," she muttered, loud enough for Yamato and the others to hear.

"What?" Yamato questioned.

With her seeping fury aimed at Yamato, Sophie continued as her blood boiled. "Didn't you hear me? I said, 'That's right.'" She was now directing her anger and wrath at the man in front of her. "I loathe you, Yamato Kougami. More than anyone, I despise you! Why… Why did it have to be _you_?!" she shouted. "Why did _you_ of all the men in the world have to be the one to get married to Mashiro?! You're not even someone who's worthy of having my best friend! That's why… From now on, you are my rival, Yamato Kougami!"

"Huh?!" Yamato blinked, confused by the turquoise-haired girl's declaration. Then, he understood and shouted back at Sophie. "Same to you, you wretched woman! I don't care if you're Mashiro's best friend; I don't like you at all, and I certainly don't want to give her up for _your_ sake, either!"

Within a matter of time, sparks were igniting between the two who were now staring ragingly at each other's eyes. Everyone around them could sense an unpleasant aura between the two, and it was frightening how Yuta and Takao were reacting to it. Takamasa, however, was not affected, and seemed to be enjoying himself at the sight of those two. He let out a small laugh; Ren stared at Yamato and Sophie's current state nonchalantly.

Then, out of nowhere, he said, "Calm down, Yamato. You're only making it worse."

That seemed to catch the auburn-haired young man's attention.

Yamato looked up after sitting back down in his seat. "Ren?" he asked curiously.

"Don't start an argument with my fiancée," he said in his typical stoic manner. "It's unbefitting of you to get caught up in something like this just because you're mad at her."

Yamato reacted quite rapidly. "Wha—She's the one who started it, Ren! Don't you think you should do something about her instead?!" Then, something occurred to him. "Wait. Did you just say that she's your fiancée?"

"That's right," the blond affirmed. "This is my fiancée, Sophie Kanzaki. She is the second daughter of the Kanzaki family, and is also the famous mangaka who is well-known in Tokyo for her works, such as, _Koisuru Candy _(恋する キャンディ _Koisuru Candy/Candy Love_) and _Magical Guardians ~The Protectors of Seishin Academy~ _(マジカルガーディアンズ ~精神学園の保護者たち~/_Majikaru Gādianzu ~Seishin Gakuen no Hogo-shatachi_). There are others, as well, but if you want the whole list, you can look her name up."

Yamato's eyes widened. He had not anticipated that Sophie was Ren's fiancée, nor had he thought that she was the legendary mangaka his students (and Yuta) had talked about. At the same time, that name sounded familiar to him.

He trailed off, lost in thought.

_Sophie Kanzaki… Sophie Kanzaki… Where have I heard that name before…? I know I've heard that name somewhere in the past, but… Just when did I? And where did I?_

Suddenly, a realization came to him as he remembered the time he had once read some of the turquoise-haired girl's works.

"…!" His eyes widened.

_That's right…! _He thought. _I remember now! I used to read her manga all the time when I was a kid, right before…_

"…Did you write _The Exile of a Young Heiress_ and its counterpart, _The One Who Rules over the Village_?" Yamato asked. A budding interest had begun to manifest itself inside his mind and heart at the same time. "And also, _The Tears of the Sky_?"

"That's right," Sophie confirmed. She was calmer than before, and her arms had shifted up a bit to the point where they were folded under her chest. "I wrote those three, along with some others you may have read."

Yamato was happy to hear that but remained unfazed. "So you wrote those books yourself and published them? Are you really _the_ Sophie Kanzaki?"

"Of course I am," Sophie replied. "Why wouldn't I be?" She was puzzled by Yamato's inquiries.

"I guess you're worth more than I thought…" Yamato murmured.

Sophie moved her head a little to her left. "What was that?"

"Nothing." Yamato looked down at the floor.

Yuta saw his friend's expression, suddenly grinning afterwards. "Hey! I still can't believe that Ren actually has someone he'll marry later on. But I'm glad you're here, Sophie! Ren's a really lucky guy to have met you, so I hope you'll stay with him for a long time. He might not be the best at being in a relationship with you, but he's a good guy. I'm sure the two of you are meant for each other."

Sophie glanced at Yuta and smiled. "Thank you. I hope you find someone who will be with you for a long time, too, Yuta." She closed her eyes; her expression was like that of an approving superior. "You at least deserve someone who can help take care of you at home. After all, you're a nice guy. Eventually, someone's bound to take a look at you, and if they know that you're a kind person, I'm sure they'll appreciate that kindness of yours. It's something that's needed in a world like ours, so that we won't succumb to feelings of loss and despair."

Yuta's eyes widened at those words. Then, he had a soft and gentle expression on his face. "Thanks, Sophie. I really hope you and Ren get married soon. It'd be nice to experience a happiness like yours."

"Not at all; you're a friend of mine, so it's only natural to try and help those who are your friends." By that time, Sophie had opened her eyes, and was still glancing at the curly-haired youth. "I'm sure you'll only have to wait a bit longer before you can find someone who's right for you, Yuta. Things like this take some more time before something can happen to change your life."

Takamasa was amazed by the turquoise-haired girl's words of wisdom. "Wow. Hearing something like that really inspires me. I think I'll have to come up with a similar scene for my next script."

"You wouldn't usually hear something as beautiful and outstanding like that around this part of Tokyo," Takao smiled gratefully. "It's like taking care of your own family. You just have to be patient and take some time out of your hands to care for them in your own way. It might be a bumpy road at first, but you'll be able to get through it if you put in a lot of hard work and effort."

Yuta felt moved by the support and advice his friends were giving him. "Takao…! You… You really know how to make a guy happy, don't you?"

Takao smiled again. "I'm glad to see that my words helped a bit."

"A _bit_?!" Yuta exclaimed. "You mean, a _lot_! Those words you just said were really moving like Sophie's! You should give yourself some more appreciation, man!"

Takamasa nodded. "He's right, you know. You never really take yourself into consideration at times, Takao. Maybe you should get something for yourself, or find a really hot gal and ask her to marry you. For keeps, I mean."

"I couldn't possibly do something spontaneous like that," Takao responded. His eyes were closed, but he still retained that smile of his. "I don't have to get married to be happy. I have everything I could ever want right now."

"But didn't you ask Kuni to help you get a wife?" Yamato asked. "We all did, didn't we?"

At that moment, everyone at the table had a surprised look on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Takao asked. "I never asked Kuni to do something like that."

Ren was speechless. He could barely even say anything to counter back. But then, he knew. His astonishment returned back to its indifferent state shortly afterward. "…"

"Hnn…" Sophie's eyes narrowed after understanding the situation. "…So that's what it's about."

A grin immediately spread across Takamasa's face. He, too, had finally realized why Yamato had brought the subject up. "Aha!"

Seeing the other's expressions, Yuta lowered his eyes exhaustedly. "Ugh…"

"Huh?" Yamato tilted his head to his right. "What is it?"

Takamasa shook his head, still having the same grin on his face. "Looks like our little friend here was deceived by the CEO himself."

"What are you talking about?" the auburn-haired man questioned.

"Kuni told you a lie and said that we were all looking for someone to hook with," Yuta deducted.

"So that's what it was," Takao realized. He was still surprised, but finally came to terms with it.

Yamato was taken aback once more by what he had just heard. "What?!"

Kunihiko came up to the group after that. "Oh? What's going on? You're all staring at Yamato. Did something happen?"

"Yammy over here just found out that you tricked him," Takamasa smirked. "The look on his face is so priceless right now!" he laughed.

"Oh. Well, he'll snap out of it soon," the bar owner said casually. "At least he understands now that my services aren't always free of charge. It was short, but it was fun while it lasted."

"By the way…" Yuta mentioned. "Where's Mashiro? I haven't seen her since we were served."

Kunihiko glanced at Yuta and smiled lightly. "She's waiting outside. I took her around town, so that she could familiarize herself with the other people living here. She's not used to this area yet, but she'll probably get the hang of it once she can walk around and back on her own. I took her yesterday to a few places, but we didn't go around much, so I decided to show her some more today. We went as far as we could until we stopped at the train station for a rest. Then we headed for the mountains. She was pretty excited about it, too. You don't know how happy she was to be able to explore this city."

"That must have been fun," Takao answered. "We don't usually meet someone who has such an innocent personality like Mashiro's very often. It's actually quite refreshing to see her enjoy herself."

Sophie took a sip of her large drink. "As long as Mashiro's happy, I wouldn't mind going with her. She's one of those friends you only get once-in-a-lifetime, so I'm glad I met her." She stared at the man across from her. "More importantly, when's he going to come back to this world, anyway? He's taking his time."

"Who knows," Ren replied.

Takamasa turned towards the auburn-haired man's direction. "Yamato's internal clock isn't working right now, so you'll have to bring him back yourself if you want to get him to his senses."

"Then, can I kick him?" the turquoise-haired girl suggested willingly. "I want him to suffer for taking Mashiro away."

"Sure, go ahead," Takamasa approved. "I'm sure Yamato will like that. He might secretly be a masochist if he gets hurt."

Just then, Yamato came back to reality and furrowed his eyebrows angrily.

"Who the hell is a masochist here?!" he shouted. "Just so you know, I'm not gonna let you kick me for your own enjoyment, so I'm taking my leave right here!" He stood up and walked out swiftly.

Everyone remaining inside Long Island stared after Yamato.

"Well that's that," Ren began.

Sophie had an annoyed expression on her face. "That idiot… I can't believe he took me seriously and left."

"That's Yamato for you," Takao pointed out. "He's not one to listen, so he does whatever he wants."

"He's no fun," Takamasa commented. He was sure amused, though.

Yuta gave the dark-haired man a look. "It's your fault for saying things like that, Saeki."

"But hey," Kunihiko beamed, "It was fun seeing Yamato get worked up about something that trivial. Makes you want to find out what he'll do next."

Yuta laughed. "You said it."

Outside of Long Island, Yamato saw the fawn-haired girl and walked up to her.

"Mashiro!"

Mashiro turned around and smiled happily. "Yamato!"

"Sorry," the auburn-haired man apologized. "Were you waiting for a long time?"

Mashiro shook her head. "No, I just got back with Kun Kun. It was really fun. We went around the city and did some grocery shopping. We also stopped by a few more stores and walked back to your apartment to drop everything off, so you don't have to stop by the supermarket for anything. I'll make sure to have dinner ready after we get home."

"As expected of my wife," Yamato praised. He felt at ease to know that the fawn-haired girl took the time to do something for him. "I knew I could count on you, Mashiro."

Mashiro looked at Yamato and smiled. "It's the least I could do. We're going to get married soon, so I'm adjusting to living with you, Yamato. Anyway, let's head back home. It's almost six."

Yamato nodded, and together, the two of them began to walk to their apartment. He was on the fawn-haired girl's left and their hands were almost close enough to touch.

"By the way," Yamato added with a regular smile etched onto his face, "how is it that you and Ren's fiancée are best friends?" His sunny smile soon became an angry scowl. "She has a pretty rude mouth, and she's not what I'd call any guy's type but Ren's. But I can't believe she wrote the stuff I like," Yamato sighed. He had mixed feelings about the thought of Sophie being the author of the books (not manga) he mentioned earlier. "This has _got_ to be a disaster. I used to read her manga before my senior year of high school, too. It was a blast back then, but now… I don't know _how_ I feel about this. _And_, I'm not even sure _what_ I should be feeling right now."

Mashiro kept smiling as they made their way back. "I met Sophie during the summer of my last year in junior high. She and I went to different schools, but we ended up going to the same high school after that." She glanced at the ground and continued to smile. "It's strange…" Then, she looked back at Yamato. "I never would have thought that I would soon become friends with the same girl who wrote my favorite manga series. But… Just like a few of my other friends, Sophie is irreplaceable to me. And so are you, Yamato."

"Really?" Yamato asked, a bit flabbergasted that Mashiro would think that way about him. "I'm irreplaceable to you, Mashiro?"

Mashiro nodded and looked straight at the path in front of them. "Un. You were one of the people who cared to even take me in, but… My feelings for you aren't only because of that. I don't know why, but I started to like you more and more before meeting you. I heard a lot about you, but these feelings began to overflow. I couldn't stop thinking about you the day Kun Kun called me and told me of your situation. However, he said that you wanted to marry me, and so I believed that you truly felt that way, even though it was for the sake of keeping your job. I know it's selfish of me to think this way, but I couldn't help myself from doing so. I knew you didn't actually want to get married to a woman you didn't know, but I wanted to do this for you. I guess you can say that I also thought of you as my soulmate, Yamato."

"Mashiro…"

Yamato wasn't sure if he felt the same way Mashiro had when she had heard about him, but he could probably relate to a similar feeling. Yet… the thought of her being his soulmate was most likely how he felt at the moment. At least, that was how he comprehended it.

_I wonder what this feeling is. _Yamato's eyelids lowered themselves towards the very ground they were standing on. He felt a peculiar twinge of pain as he pondered the possibility of what it could be. _Am I… Am I starting to fall for Mashiro? Is this pain… the same one that she felt a few days ago before she met me? If so… I want to know… Is what I'm feeling right now… real…?_

At that time, Sophie and Ren had reached the blond's apartment. They entered it, and Ren closed and locked the door behind them. Sophie stepped into the kitchen and took a look around.

"What do you want for dinner, Ren?" she asked. She quickly searched the cabinets and opened the refrigerator door.

Ren stared at his fiancée, and answered. "Nothing. I don't eat at home or at work, so I take dietary supplements instead. They keep me going throughout the day and if I'm working a nightshift, I take them with me and consume them to keep myself awake until I'm done. You don't have to do anything for me; just cook for yourself if you want, Sophie."

"I can't do that," the turquoise-haired girl responded as she turned to face Ren. "You're my fiancé, Ren. I don't want you to overwork yourself, so I want to do something for you. If your parents found out that all you take during the day is supplements and water, they'd be worried about you. That's why, I'll make sure to take proper care of you this time." She smiled affectionately at Ren. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you when we were in high school and while I was working in Shinjuku, so I'll do a better job this time. I'll cook for you and I'll also stay with you for as long as you want me to because… I love you, Ren."

The words Sophie had spoken surprised the blond as he stared back at her. He soon realized that he felt the same way about his fiancée, and smiled softly. Then, he walked up to her and placed his right hand on her head.

"Thank you, Sophie," he said gratefully. He was glad to have Sophie around as it meant he wouldn't be alone this time.

Sophie glanced up at Ren and smiled back softly while she blushed. She held onto his right hand with her left. "…Let's go to the supermarket together."

"Yeah." Ren nodded, and the two of them made their way there together as they held hands.


	3. Episode 3

Yamato and Mashiro's Wedding; The Next Heroine: Airi Hirabayashi

It was the day of Yamato and Mashiro's wedding and everyone was gathered outside in the middle of Yamato and Mashiro's apartment complex and Long Island for the event. Kunihiko served as the minister of the wedding, while the others (excluding Yamato and Mashiro) were watching as the main couple of the day were standing next to each other.

"Here I present to you lady and gentlemen, the casual wedding ceremony of Yamato Kougami and Mashiro Tsuneha," Kunihiko began. "Please note that this only going take about less than half an hour, or perhaps less than an hour of your time." He glanced at Yamato, then at Mashiro. "Now, it's about time to exchange the rings. We won't really need the vows before the wedding rings, so I'll just have you two say them as you make a promise on them since this is a short wedding, anyway. However, I will address you both by your names for this part. First is Yamato Kougami. I need you to repeat after me; hold the wedding ring up a bit, then say: 'With this ring, I promise to be with you for the rest as I shall live, in sickness and in health. And I will…"

"…always love you," Yamato finished triumphantly. He glanced at Kunihiko. "Isn't that what you were about to say just now, Kuni?"

Kunihiko placed his right hand on the back of his head. "Er… Well, yeah, Yamato. I wanted you to say those words, but you didn't let me finish. So…" He looked at Yamato quizzically with his typical modest smile. "I'll let you finish them for me. _But_. You have to say them confidently and marvelously before I can let you marry Mashiro. This _is_ your wedding, after all."

"Yeah, yeah," the man of the day said, brushing off the former's warning. "I know what to do, so just leave it to me." All of a sudden, Yamato gazed at Mashiro. There was a serious look in his eyes as he stared directly at her. Then, he recited the very same words Kunihiko had spoken before while holding up the ring that was meant for his bride. "With this ring, I promise to be with you for the rest as I shall live, in sickness and in health. And I will always love you." He took a step towards Mashiro, placed his left hand around hers, and smiled tenderly as he looked at her left ring finger. "I give you… my eternal love." He steadily slipped the wedding ring onto her finger, finishing his part of the ceremony before stepping back to let Mashiro do hers.

Mashiro looked up at Yamato and smiled gently as she held up the wedding ring in-between her right thumb and index finger. "With this ring… I promise to be with you for the rest of my life, in sickness and in health. From this day forth, I will always hold an eternal love for you, even after I die. I will carry it with me to the next world and beyond to ensure that I will forever be yours, and yours only, even after I reincarnate." She looked at Yamato's left ring finger and came close, gently placing her hand around it. "So I give you the love embedded in this ring in order to mark our promise with one another." She put the ring onto Yamato's finger and completed the wedding procedures.

Now, the two of them were officially man and wife, earning an applause from Kunihiko, Sophie, Ren, and the other three guys who witnessed the whole event.

"Congratulations, Yamato, Mashiro," the purple-haired CEO congratulated the newlyweds. "You're going to be together for a long time now, so you also need to help each other as time goes on."

Sophie glanced at Mashiro and smiled at her best friend. "Congratulations, Mashiro." Suddenly, she ran up to the fawn-haired girl and hugged her as though it would be the last time she ever got to see Mashiro. Tears formed from her eyes as stayed in the same position. "From now on, you're not going to be Mashiro Tsuneha, but Mashiro Kougami. That's why… I'll say goodbye to the old you, and welcome the person you've become today." She pulled back and kept smiling, taking out something from her messenger bag. She held it out to Mashiro with her left hand. "You said you were looking forward to reading it a few weeks ago when I told you I'd be working on a new series. Since then, I've been traveling as much as I could to find a perfect background for the scenes and settings, so that I could draw them. In addition, when you told me you were going to get married, I was really surprised. I wanted to give this to you as a present no matter what because I didn't want to miss the chance of doing so on your wedding day. You've always been an important person to me, Mashiro."

Mashiro's eyes widened. "Sophie…" She smiled softly at the turquoise-haired girl. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. You've always been important to me, as well." She took the first volume of Sophie's latest manga series with gratitude, and held it to her chest. "I'll treasure this for a long time."

Takamasa glanced at Yamato and Mashiro. "Congrats, you two. I was really worried about dear ol' Yamato here, but it looks like he did a good job with the wedding ring."

"…Congrats," Ren said, smiling at the married couple.

Takao closed his eyes approvingly. "Take care of Mashiro, okay, Yamato? She's someone you can't find anywhere else in this city, so be good to her, alright?"

"Don't worry about it, Takao," Yamato reassured the kinder man. "I won't hurt her feelings or chase her out of the house. Try worrying about yourself for once, you silly goose. You'll need someone to take care of you so you won't get sick. You _are_ a lawyer, after all."

Takao smiled warmly. "You don't have to worry about me so much, Yamato. I can take care of myself even when I'm working. You should enjoy your time together with Mashiro, rather than thinking about me."

"Looks like we have a bigger man here," Takamasa noted. "You know how Takao is, Yamato. He's going to beat you to it if you don't do what he says, so you'd better be prepared to take the longer road."

"Then, I guess I can't do much about it," Yamato acknowledged. "I'll just have to walk farther ahead this time. But I'll keep surpassing you, Takao. I won't let you take things over in my place no matter what, you hear me?"

Takao couldn't help but accept the way things were between him and Yamato. "I'm looking forward to it. I actually want to see you become a great man and husband while you continue to go towards the path in front of you, Yamato. As long as you never lose sight of the things around you, I'm sure you'll be able to live a happier life."

"Don't lose your way, Yamato!" Yuta cheered. "Things are just getting started for you and Mashiro, so keep at it!"

Yamato smirked. "You bet I will! I won't stop for the rest of my life and I'll be taking Mashiro with me along the way."

Mashiro smiled positively. "Arigato, Yuta! I'll stay with Yamato for a long time, and I'll make sure to take care of him. You don't have to worry about a thing as long as I'm around, and Yamato doesn't, either."

"Woo!" Yuta instantly raised his fist up at the sky. "Well said, Mashiro! Now I know Yamato will be in good hands. We should celebrate this occasion back at Long Island. It's still morning, so we still have time to hang out for a while."

"Great idea, Yuta," Takao agreed. "I think we'll all need something to freshen up after this. It'll only be for a bit, so I have plenty of time to spare before going to work today."

"Just don't drink too much, okay?" Kunihiko beamed. "I can give you a few drinks, but you're still a lawyer, Takao. If you start to get drunk, you won't be able to make it for the rest of the day."

Takao laughed lightly. "I know. I won't drink today since I'm still a working man."

"Hey!" Takamasa exclaimed. "I work as well, you know! You should give me some credit here while we're at it."

Ren stared at Takamasa intensely. "Then you should put more work into your career. You don't really do much during the day, Saeki…"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say, Ren!" the writer commented. "I'll have you know, I can go to work anytime. I just choose not to go to these meetings since they're very stressful at times."

Ren didn't react to Takamasa's words. "…Why don't you right now? It'll save your colleagues some more time if you started working more."

"I agree," Takao nodded. "Working at night isn't always the best method to execute when you're a writer. It's like pulling an all-nighter; you don't get much sleep until you're finished with everything you need to do."

Takamasa's mouth dropped at that very moment. "…" He was quite speechless for a few seconds before returning to reality. "So what you're saying is that you'd rather see me working than spending time with you guys? Is that what this is about?"

"Pretty much," Yuta confirmed. "If you want to be worth more than all that meets the eye, you're going to have to do something great, Saeki. Greater than everything you've done until now, that is."

Takamasa looked down, having a conflicted expression on his face. "I see. So that's it." A grin formed on his face shortly after. "That's what I need to do!"

"Uh, Saeki?" Yamato asked. He did not understand his friend's novel behavior. "Care to explain what's going on?"

Takamasa shook his head. "Sorry, but why don't you go on without me today? Something just came up."

"Huh?" Yamato was now confused. "But you—"

"Just go and celebrate with everyone else," the scriptwriter urged. "I really have to do this right now, so don't think too much about it, and just get going already. Time's not on your side, you know."

"…" Yamato wasn't sure what had happened, but he had a strange feeling about Takamasa's sudden change in plans. "Alright," he said, complying to Takamasa's forcefulness. "Just… don't do anything stupid, okay?"

Takamasa smiled. It was a tender one, which Yamato hadn't seen in a while. "I won't. Anyway, I'll take my leave here." He turned around and walked in the direction of his apartment, leaving a dumbfounded group of men staring after him.

"What just happened…?" Yuta asked. Like Takao and Yamato, he seemed fazed by the occurrence.

Takao's mouth was opened. "…I'm not sure myself. But… I know something must have rewired Saeki's mindset."

"It has to do with work, then," Ren murmured. Only the girls and Kunihiko could hear him, though.

Takao tilted his head to his left. "What was that, Ren?"

"Nothing…" the blond looked down, trying to avoid answering the inquiry. Then, he looked back up. "Anyway, let's go. I'm hungry."

"I'll prepare something for you when we get there," Sophie decided. "I'm sure everyone's already starving by now, so I'll give Mashiro and Kunihiko-sama a hand in the kitchen."

Mashiro nodded. "Let's prepare a lot of food today. We can also save some for Takamasa-san afterwards. It'll also be a good experience since we'll be dining together."

"There's also more than a table's worth of us," Kunihiko added. "Now that we have Mashiro and Sophie with us, it's become even livelier than before."

"I'll say," Yuta agreed. "It used to be just us guys. But now we have two girls with us. Things are sure changing fast, aren't they?"

Takao smiled. "It's as though our group's expanded."

"Now that I think about it," Yamato brought up, "it feels different than before. It's like a mix of anger, frustration, and exhaustion, but also with a bit of happiness."

Mashiro and the others looked at Yamato in a peculiar manner. But soon, the fawn-haired girl smiled, understanding the meaning of those words.

"Sou ne," she said. "But it feels like there's more to it than just that. Most of us might not notice it, but there's definitely something else besides those feelings you mentioned, Yamato."

Sophie nodded. "That's right. There's something more that we've all felt in the past few days or so. Don't you think so, young man?"

Yamato's eyes widened, prompting him back into his thoughts.

_Mashiro and Sophie are right. It's not just the feelings that I've experienced with everyone that have changed, but something else. There's another emotion—_other_ emotions—besides those that are lingering around. What could they _be_? There has to be some more that I've yet to discover from this, but _what_? I have to find out, or else my curiosity will get the better of me._

A few days later, Yamato was in his classroom. Among his students, there was a commotion as he wrote down some notes on the chalkboard.

"Hey, do you think we should ask him?" one of the females asked inquisitively. Like the rest of them, she was interested to find out something from Yamato.

"If we don't, we'll die!" another answered.

A third one nodded. "Yeah! Now's our chance before we have to go over the notes for today's lesson. Let's just ask him already!"

Yamato turned around, hearing giggles and whispers from his students. He was still holding his notebook in his left hand and a long piece of chalk in the other. "What's wrong, girls? Do you have something to say?" As usual, his expression was that of a serious instructor.

One of the girls raised her hand. "Um, Mr. Kougami? We've been talking about this for a while, but…"

"But what?" Yamato inquired, his appearance unaltered.

"Well…" The girl exchanged glances with the others, then looked back at Yamato. "We all wanted to ask… about your wife. What's she like?"

Yamato's eyes widened in surprise. "You all want to know about my wife? What came up so abruptly that you all wanted to ask about her, anyway?"

Another girl spoke up. "You've been our teacher for two and a half weeks now, but you've never said anything about your wife, Mr. Kougami. Plus, you've had a happier look on your face than when you started out, so we thought you might have been smiling because of her. Can you tell us about her?"

_About Mashiro, huh… _Yamato thought. _I didn't think they'd actually want to know about her, but…_

"Alright," Yamato smiled assertively. "I'll tell you about her."

The whole classroom was more than happy to hear their teacher's response and were all jubilant. As a matter of fact, the girls were brooming with excitement and could not contain their ecstasy.

"Really?!" one of the girls exclaimed.

Yamato nodded. "Yeah. What do you all want to know about her?"

"What's her name?"

And so, the questions began.

"Mashiro," the teacher replied.

"Is she cute?"

Another nod from Yamato. "Of course she is. Her cuteness even lights up the entire room. In fact," he added, "she's a bundle of happiness and cuteness. She becomes happy in an instant, so her cuteness begins to radiate off her like a bunch of shooting stars."

"Really?! Can you bring her here sometime, Mr. Kougami?"

Yamato kept smiling. "Nope. No can do, kiddos."

"What?! Why not?!"

"I can't just bring Mashiro to school," Yamato told his students. "If I took her here without permission, it would disrupt the class and disturb the other students and teachers in the building. The staff wouldn't be pleased to have all you girls making a fuss about my wife, anyway. Although, it looks like you already made one today."

One of the students pouted. "Aww!"

A second later, another of the students had an idea pop into her head, but it was still in the form of a question. "Then, is she pregnant with your child right now, Mr. Kougami?"

"What?" That certainly stunned Yamato.

"Oh! That's a good question," another of the students noted. "I was wondering if you were going to be a father soon myself, Mr. Kougami."

One of the students stared at Yamato's expression and had her hand on the side of her face. "Hmm… Was that too early for you, Mr. Kougami? You look like this is pretty new to you, seeing as you're still a newlywed and all."

"Well, yeah," Yamato said, still shocked by the previous enquiry. "I haven't even thought about having kids with Mashiro yet. What made you think of that, anyway?"

The student who had asked that question looked surprised herself. She glanced at Yamato before averting her gaze while blushing. "Ahaha… I just thought that you might have wanted to become a father, Mr. Kougami…" She looked at the surface of her desk, fumbling with her fingers a bit. She smiled shyly as she did so while still blushing a little. "You kind of remind me of my own father sometimes, Mr. Kougami. You also take care of us and praise us with as much support as you can. It actually makes me happy to have you as my teacher when I think about it. Not many teachers outside this school are like that, but you're… a special teacher to us all in one way or another. That's why… I want to support you and your wife no matter what since… I want you to be happy."

The student who had asked if it was too early for Yamato to answer lowered her eyes. "Mr. Kougami, don't tell me you didn't know about how we wanted to support you and your love life? We were all discussing this matter about your wife because we wanted to cheer you two on."

"…I didn't know you all felt that way until now." Yamato stayed frozen in place as if he was a statue. "Actually, this is the first time I've ever heard about this from anyone."

The student sighed. "…Come on, Mr. Kougami. Try to catch up on us. We're always ready to help you out for your sake. You _are_ our teacher, after all."

Yamato looked at the student and smiled in defeat. "I understand. We'll talk about this later, alright? We've already wasted enough time. Now, get out your textbooks and turn to page thirty-one."

"Hai~!" Yamato's students obeyed, taking out their textbooks from their desks as the got ready to learn the day's physics lesson.

It was late at night in Ren and Sophie's apartment. Sophie was currently working on the next volume of her new series, and was writing and drawing at a rapid pace. She was too focused to concentrate on anything else as though her life depended on the completion of the manga. In fact, it was much more than motivation that kept her going, but at the same time, it was something that was most likely to keep her focused on her job. The look on her face was slightly twisted up with some kind of anger as she kept working.

"…" She was about to finish when Ren stepped into the room.

He looked at her busy figure and said, "Working again?"

Although it was short, Sophie gave a quick nod. "Yeah. If I don't keep working on my manga, I'll lose my concentration. If I don't keep at it, I'll eventually stop working on anything at all." She hurriedly drew the last few pages, staring deeply at them while keeping up her part of the conversation. "But at least I'm almost finished, so I can prepare something for you before you head off to work. I _am_ your fiancée, after all."

"Don't push yourself too much," Ren reminded the turquoise-haired girl. "You'll get sick if you work all the time without taking any breaks."

Sophie turned to look at Ren and smiled. "I know. I'll keep my health in check after this, so don't worry." She glanced back at her desk and kept working until she came to a stop. "Finished." She organized the abundant number of pages she had drawn and wrote, and put them in an envelope, sealing it securely before getting up from her seat. She took a look at Ren with the same smile she had on her face. "I'll get ready and prepare your food for tonight. What do you want to eat, Ren?"

Ren stared back at Sophie with a nonchalant expression. "Tamagoyaki and kaarage."

Sophie frowned. "It's all fried dishes. Don't forget your vegetables. You have to watch out for those kinds of foods every now and then, or else you won't be able to balance your meals. I'll add some spinach and octopus wieners along with them, so make sure you eat everything if you can, Ren. You should also try some sandwiches and a small portion of rice. Maybe eel would be good along with some tonkatsu…" She was becoming more focused on the menu out of concern for Ren's own health, but at least she was able to consider something other than work.

Several minutes had passed by and it was dark inside the apartment. Sophie was sleeping soundly at the desk she used to work on her books and manga, and soon awakened. She opened her eyes slowly, still laying her head and arms on her desk.

"…" She stared in the direction she could see and soon noticed the living room and kitchen's lights were turned off. "Ren…?" She lifted her head up and saw a blanket around her body. Then, she stared at it intently and knew that Ren had placed it around her after she fell asleep before taking a look at her surroundings. "He's not here. I guess he must've gone off to work, then." She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 2:17 a.m. After that, she stood up and walked to the glass table near the couch. That was when she saw a note addressed to her and picked it up.

The letter read:

Sophie. Thanks for the bento you made tonight. I made sure to take it with me before I leave. Also, I may or may not be back before five a.m., so don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I promise. I'll make sure to come home as soon as I can, so we can eat breakfast together in the morning. If you happen to wake up before I get back, go to bed and sleep for a few hours. Alright? You've been sleeping past midnight for some time now. It's lonely when we're not sleeping together, but I can understand your feelings. You like working as much as I do, but it makes me worry when you focus on your career more than your health. Promise me you won't overexert yourself so much and let's spend more time together. I'll try to get a few days off to be with you, so take some time off, too.

—Ren

Sophie gazed at the last few sentences. Her shoulders dropped as she kept looking at it.

"Ren…"

She glanced toward the door before shifting her gaze back to the note. Then, she smiled sadly. "I understand. I'll go to sleep right away."

The next day, Takamasa was in his apartment that morning in his study, typing on his laptop. Shortly afterward, he paused and came to a stop.

"Ah!" he exclaimed as an idea suddenly came to his mind. "It's almost time for me to eat breakfast."

He checked his watch and it was already nine in the morning. Then, he stood up, pushed in his chair, opened the door, and walked out. Within less than a minute, he was in the kitchen. He poured a cup of black coffee for himself and lifted the cup up to his lips, taking a drink from it.

He pulled the cup away and thought about something. "Hmm… I better start a clean-up check today."

Although his apartment had been tidied up the same night of Mashiro and Yamato's wedding, he felt as if there was something else that needed to be cleaned up in the living room. Ever since that day, things had been different from how they were before.

And it was not until a few days afterward that Yamato visited Long Island.

Yamato walked around and greeted the bar owner. "Hey, Kuni! How's it going?"

Kunihiko smiled at the sight of the newlywed from before. "Morning, Yamato. I was just about to open the bar. Did you need something?"

"Nn…" Yamato looked around the interior of Long Island, looking for something. Or rather, someone in particular. "Actually, I'm looking for Saeki. Have you seen him lately?"

Kunihiko had a surprised look on his face. "Saeki? He hasn't been here in a while." Then, he smiled calmly. "I'm sure he's fine, though, Yamato. He's probably working at home or at an interview. Why don't you give him a call and ask him yourself if you're that worried about him?"

"What?" Yamato asked. "He hasn't been here? How long has he been busy, anyway?"

Kunihiko kept smiling. "The last time he was here was the day before the wedding. It was just the guys, remember? The girls were out together that day." Then, he added, "But I haven't seen him since then, that's for certain."

"Hmm…" Yamato contemplated. Then, he looked at Kunihiko and said, "Sorry, Kuni. I'm going to check up on him."

The purple-haired man let out a huff. "When you get there, don't pry too much," he advised.

Yamato nodded. "Got it."

Soon, he arrived in front of Takamasa's apartment and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing the healthy form of the famous writer.

"Yamato," Takamasa breathed. "What brings you here today?"

Yamato had a serious look on his face. "What's going on, Saeki?" He had his arms folded against his chest as he stared at his friend. "You haven't been at Long Island at all and you've been working the whole time without even paying a visit. Why is that?"

"?" Takamasa blinked. Then, he realized what the young man in front of him meant. "Oh. That." He smiled lightly at Yamato and answered him. "I decided to change how I did things and started working more. I also went out for meetings and interviews about the TV shows I was currently working on." He added, "I even cleaned up my place after the wedding."

"You did what?!" Yamato shouted, flabbergasted by what he had just heard. "Saeki… Why are you doing this all of sudden? I mean, you haven't cleaned up since you graduated from high school. What's with the quick change?"

Takamasa's eyes widened as he saw the concern on Yamato face. "Ah, that was six years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, why don't you come in? I'll explain about why I'm doing all this."

"I see…" Yamato trailed off as he sat on the couch next to Takamasa. "So it's because you felt like you needed to change yourself after we said all those things to you. Sorry about that. It's not like we would do that to deliberately hurt your feelings or anything."

Takamasa let out a moderate laugh. "Ahaha." He looked down, still smiling. "It's not like you said anything until after I decided to go home for the day, Yamato. Besides, it's not like my feelings were hurt at all, except by what Ren said a little. You know how he is, always blunt with other people besides maybe Sophie every once in a while." He looked directly at the auburn-haired man. "But I'm not _that_ affected by anything the others guys said that day. In fact, there's another reason why I've been doing this for a while now."

"Another… reason?" Yamato asked, a bit perplexed by those words.

The scriptwriter nodded. "That's right. There's another reason why I'm doing this. The day you and Mashiro got married, I immediately started to clean up my entire apartment after I went home. A thought instantly crossed my mind, and I suddenly remembered something."

"What did you remember?" Yamato inquired curiously. He wanted to know what his friend had been thinking about this whole time. "Was it something… important?"

Another nod from Takamasa. "Yeah. I haven't told anyone about this yet, but… There's someone who's going to move in with me soon and I actually wanted to make sure everything was cleaned up before she came here. She'll be living with me at the end of the month, so I'm preparing ahead of time."

"Someone's going to live with you?!" Yamato blurted out. "And your roommate's a girl?! Why didn't you say so sooner? The guys and I could have helped you earlier if we had known about this."

There was a long silence between the two. That was, until Takamasa spoke up again.

"Actually," he said, "I had mixed feelings about it three months back when I first heard from her parents." A troubled expression formed on the writer's face as he continued. "Remember Airi?"

Yamato spoke steadily as he thought about the name. "Airi…" His eyes widened when he remembered that name. "Airi Hirabayashi?! Your high school girlfriend Airi?! The one who's…"

Takamasa nodded, confirming Yamato's question. "Yeah… She's going to be here in a few weeks, but…"

"It's been over two years since you last saw each other. Right?" Yamato mentioned. "Things fell out of place after you found out that she was going to be busier because of her occupation. You even went into another deep depression for a while, too."

"Yeah, but…" Takamasa stared at the wall in front of him and Yamato. "I haven't forgotten about her, not even once. That's why…" A faint smile crept onto his face as he proclaimed his new resolve. "…I'm going to start over and continue from where we left off years ago when she comes here. I've decided that I'm not going to run away from this anymore than I've already done."

Yamato looked at Saeki, understanding the writer's resolution. "Saeki…"

And so, the end of April was finally here. It was the day Takamasa's high school girlfriend would come to move in with him. His entire apartment was fully cleaned and Takamasa was one hundred percent ready for Airi's arrival. Ten minutes had passed and the doorbell rang.

Takamasa walked toward the front door and opened it. He was instantaneously greeted by the girl standing in front of him. She had light purple waist-length hair and bright green eyes. Without another moment to waste, she bowed politely.

"Hajimemashite," she smiled with her eyes closed, tilting her head to the side. "My name is Airi Hirabayashi, and I've come here to live with you starting today, Takamasa Saeki-san."


	4. Episode 4

An Idol on Hiatus and the Urge to Ask

The doorbell to Takamasa's apartment rang ten minutes after Takamasa had made sure everything was all right for Airi's arrival. He strolled towards the door in a fashionable manner and opened it with a pleasant grin to welcome his high school girlfriend. When he _did_ open it, there was a girl with light purple waist-length hair and bright green eyes standing in front of him. She smiled at him and bowed to greet him.

"Hajimemashite," she said. "My name is Airi Hirabayashi, and I have come here today to live with you from now on, Takamasa Saeki-san."

With a smile, Takamasa replied with a, "Come on in and make yourself at home. I'll show you to the bedroom, so you can put your things away in there. After that, I'll make some breakfast for you."

"Thank you," the light purple-haired girl answered. She stepped inside, taking her shoes off at the entrance. "Pardon the intrusion." She glanced around. "Hmm… This is a really nice apartment from what I expected. I had imagined your place to have a lot of bookshelves, Taka-kun." She lifted up her bags and held them out to Takamasa. "Since you insisted, here. You can take my things to the bedroom while you show me around the area."

Takamasa let out a chuckle. He then took Airi's belongings and smiled at her gesture. "Alright, my love. Whatever you say."

Airi frowned almost like she was pouting. "Mou… Taka-kun… You never used to do that when we were in high school. Why are you being like this _now_?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the scriptwriter inquired. "The two of us have changed since we last saw each other, but we're still in love, aren't we? This is partially your fault that I've become this way, Airi, so you have to make up for it."

"You mean the time we spent apart because of my career?" Airi's expression didn't budge in the slightest. She sighed with slumped shoulders. "I can't believe you've become like this right after I left in pursuit of my dream." Her eyes lowered to her left. "Well, not that I care much about it anymore, but still." She shifted her gaze at Takamasa with an unpleased look. "You can't just turn yourself into someone who decides to be an uncomfortable teasing husband. Although we aren't married, you should try to act natural and be yourself at times like these."

Takamasa laughed. "What, you don't like it? I thought it'd be a fresh start to have a bit of enjoyment. Looks like I was wrong. But what's even more surprising than seeing your reaction is the fact that you've decided to go on hiatus for the time being. I don't know what happened, but it looks like you've gotten worn out to the core."

Airi nodded. "Bull's-eye. You're right about that. I got tired of it after a while." She sighed again, looking down. "Maybe I should've just called it quits, after all. I'm so fed up with working as an idol that it's no longer become a part of my own dream. Lia's also focusing on an acting career, and she's also gotten some solos in. Because of that, there have also been rumors of our duo breaking up. I know I'm the one who's being selfish in this, but I really don't want to be a celebrity anymore."

"Then," Takamasa began, "how about living in this city without going back to the entertainment industry? You don't have to ever think about being an idol and actress anymore. You can be free to do whatever you want if you stay here for the rest of your life, Airi."

Seeing her high school sweetheart's care for her, Airi hesitated. "But… I'd only cause trouble for you, Taka-kun. If you work all the time in order to provide for us, I'd feel like a burden to you, and I don't want that."

Takamasa gave Airi a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll take care of it." He waited a few more seconds before saying anything else. "Well, then. We should continue the hotel service. Let's go. You can follow me, and I'll show you the hallway to the bed for you to stay in."

"?" Airi blinked and tilted her head to the side. "Taka-kun…?"

Within less than seven seconds, Takamasa had already started walking and turned right [from his direction]. Then, he ended up at the end of the corridor and set Airi's luggage down to free his hands and opened the bedroom door. Shortly afterwards, he picked the two bags back up and went into the room, putting the light purple-haired girl's belongings down near the right side of the bed [from the side the front of the bed was facing to where someone could see the wall on the other side].

Takamasa let out a breath and looked at the bags that were still in his hands. "Huh… So this is what it's like living with someone."

Airi came in after that. "? Did you say something, Taka-kun?"

Takamasa placed his hands on his knees, not facing the female celebrity as he kept breathing heavily. "No, nothing."

"By the way," Airi mentioned, narrowing her eyes at the sight in front of her, "I can see your butt sticking out. Are you trying to chase me out of here or something? Never have I thought I would see you do something as ill-mannered and repulsive as to show your rear end in front of me, especially since I'm your girlfriend. It's basically sexual harassment, you know!"

Takamasa took a look back, still panting. "I'm not doing this on purpose. Hah…" His body seemed exhausted from having to move around and work each and every day for who-knows-how-many hours. "I just happened to have more work to get done this week than I would have expected. I was actually more motivated than I was before."

"Taka-kun, you shouldn't overwork yourself," Airi scolded her high school boyfriend. "You'll lose your stamina and fall ill if you don't take any time off every once in a while. I know you work hard every day for your scripts, but this is something I cannot approve of. You'll end up in the hospital sooner or later. That's why I was against the idea of you working at night in the first place." She sighed. "You haven't changed at all since our school days."

Takamasa let out a resigning chuckle. "Ahaha…" He stood up and regained his composure. After that, he turned around to face the light purple-haired girl. "Not like I was still into my old routine or anything, but I've been working both day and night for some time now. I've decided to change my ways and become a more productive man this time."

Airi facepalmed herself and frowned in disappointment, keeping her right hand over her face. "You may be a great worker a hundred percent of the time, but you're certainly an idiot, despite the brilliant resolve you've implanted into your head. Why did you turn out this way, Taka-kun…?"

"I couldn't help it," Takamasa casually replied. "It's like I was made for my job after being cut out from scratch. Besides," he added, "I really love what I do for a living, and that's how…" He sneered. "I came to be the Takamasa Saeki you know today, Airi."

A crosshurt appeared near Airi's forehead area, showing her irritation. "Get out of here, you dumbass!"

Half an hour later, the high school lovebirds were sitting across from each other at the dining table. As they ate breakfast together, they began to engage in a conversation.

"Say," Airi began with an eye smile, "It's been a while since we he had a meal together. The most we ever did was eat lunch at school, or have breakfast together at your house with your parents. Sometimes, we would even have dinner at each other's houses. It was really fun back then, wasn't it?"

Takamasa glanced at Airi and smiled, but there were barely any euphoric emotions to go with it. "Yeah." He stared off into the distance; his eyes reflected a kind of sorrow in them. "Things were happier during the days we spent together with everyone."

_But now, they're not, _he thought. _It just hasn't been the same since that time and everything's changed. We've all lost something that can never be returned, and that's that. There's no way we can go back to the happiness we once had without the sacrifices we've already made. Isn't that right? Father, Mother? Kuni? Yamato? Takao? Ren? Yuta? We can't turn back time, so we can only keep moving towards the present, which soon becomes the future in less than a second. That's how things have worked out for us in the years that have gone by with the struggles that we've gone through. There's not much but to keep going in towards the path in front of us now. That's the only way we can move forward from the memories and experiences buried in our hearts._

Airi saw the scriptwriter's far-off expression and stopped in place. She lowered her eyes and frowned sadly while thinking about Takamasa.

_Taka-kun…_

Deep within her heart, she must have sensed how he felt. Airi did not say anything and kept being quiet for the rest of the time. Then, she returned to eating the rest of her portion of the breakfast Takamasa had prepared for the two of them, and carried on without bothering the man she had been dating since high school. There was some distance between the two for the rest of the morning before they ended up at Long Island with the Mashiro, Yamato, Sophie, and the others.

Inside Long Island, everyone except for Kunihiko, were gathered around the usual table. They were chitchatting and were having a fun conversation as time went by.

"I didn't expect to see you again here in Azabu living with Saeki, Airi," Yuta stated. "You haven't changed since we last saw each other."

Airi glanced at Yuta and smiled. "Aha! I didn't think I'd ever get to see you again outside of work myself, Yuta. It's been a few years since we last had a real talk as friends instead of co-workers, so I really missed being with everyone. It's like we were destined to reunite after a ton of hardship, huh?"

"Yeah!" Yuta exclaimed excitedly. "I can hardly believe the fact that we're still friends after all these years! It's practically a miracle that you're here today, Airi."

Airi pouted. "That makes everything sound as though you'd rather have me dead, Yuta. And you say things as if we stopped being friends a long time ago. I mean, we still managed to say hi to each other at work sometimes—though, it was usually a formal greeting as co-workers at times. But what makes me disappointed most of all is that you would say something like that when we've known each other since high school. It kind of puts a dent in my heart, you know."

"Sorry, sorry!" Yuta apologized lightly. "It's just that I really missed the old times we had since high school, that's all. Besides, it hasn't been the same since you started working as an idol. Don't you think we'd all be worried about you, and that we would miss you all the time? It's a pretty tough world out there outside of making everyone laugh. Besides, you've had to take singing and acting lessons, along with dancing, right? Being a world-renowned celebrity means you have to put in more work than I do since I'm only on TV as a host to entertain people who are watching the show. Unlike you, I don't perform live on stage where concerts are held or go to other countries for work. What's more important is that I at least think of you as a good friend and that I care about your health and safety. That's what the guys and I are here for—to check up on you so that we know you're okay."

Airi's eyes widen when she saw how much her friends had thought about her all those years she had lost contact with them. "Yuta… Everyone…" A smile formed from her lips as she looked all around her. "Thank you so much… If I had taken more time off to see you all, you wouldn't had gone through so much pain and suffering up until now. Please forgive me for not thinking about your feelings sooner. If I had noticed that you were worried about me beforehand, I would have come home more often. I'm sorry for everything I couldn't do for you."

Takao smiled and shook his head. "It wasn't any trouble at all. You didn't cause us to have any hurt feelings, Airi. We're actually glad to see you doing so well after being apart from you for a few years. In fact, with you being here, we've gotten another member in our group. It makes us happy to see you again, so don't think anything of it. We're all proud of you and we're thankful that you're here."

Kunihiko glanced at Airi and nodded. "That's right. We all care about you and think of you as a part of our group. We all love you in our own way, so take the time to enjoy yourself and have some fun while you're here."

"Although, it's not like we're all in the mood to see your disgusting face, anyway," Sophie retorted. "I'm not in the _least_ jubilant—_at all_—to see you again. You're an eyesore to be around, and I would never want to think of you as a friend or acquaintance no matter what, Airi Hirabayashi. You and Yamato Kougami over there aren't even worth my time of day."

Airi angrily frowned at the turquoise-haired girl sitting next to Ren. "And I can _clearly_ see that you of all people have not changed at least _one bit_ since we last met, Sophie. How many years ago was that? Three? Four? I _still_ can't believe that we're the same age, and that you're right near me."

"Pfft," was Sophie's reply. She had become much more hostile than when she had first met Yamato. "I'm not even sitting _next_ to you or Takao-san for that matter. Boy, for an idol who's gone on a hiatus, you're sure a stupid one at that. If you check your diction, you can find a few mistakes in what you just said. Also, the last time we saw each other was four years ago at our high school graduation. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can beat me at my own word usage. As both a mangaka and literature writer, I can spend more time correcting you than a teacher can."

That earned a "Hey!" from Yamato, who was sitting next to Takamasa, who in turn, was sitting in the middle of both Airi and said redhead. While the two sitting on his left and right were both irritated from Sophie's insults, Takamasa was quite amused by the banter. He let out a chuckle and sat back with a gleam in his eye.

"This chat we're having is something I could also use in my next script," he commented. "Of course, I'd rather have Sophie's permission to fully utilize it in my own way. Since we're both famous for our works, wouldn't it be natural to ask about this sort of thing?" He glanced at the mangaka and clasped his hands together. "How about it, Sophie? Think you could let me use our conversation for a small portion of my writing?"

Sophie nodded. "Go ahead. I don't mind if you incorporate it into what you do for a living. One thing any author knows without a doubt is that without reality, there is no such thing as fantasy. That's how we come up with ideas when we write or draw, so it also counts as something an artist would use when they're working on their next project. However, cooking and music have some sort of part in it, as well. You could also say that every occupation on our planet is likely to have a bit of fiction in them, but it mostly depends on how we utilize our minds and bodies to make our works successful. So, it is up to a person to use their own abilities to create something unrealistic and share it in order to make what is make-believe into a pseudo reality. Someone needs to notice what we produce with our own hands to help promote our forms of imagination, which keep our lives skyrocketing with sales the second we release anything. It's simply up to us to make something of ourselves out in this world. Our lives rely on how useful we are to those who enjoy what we can give them."

"I see," Takamasa noted with a nod of his own. He paid close attention to the so-called words of wisdom as he took in all the information Sophie had given. "So how we can do something for another person can also be what we can do for us. That truly makes everything more tangible than not doing anything at all." He pulled back a bit and continued to speak so that the others could hear what he was saying. "It all makes sense now. In order to reach above where we stand, we have to keep doing what our careers ask of us, and transform our tasks into part of our own lives. Then, it becomes a major fragment of us, but it isn't exactly permanent."

Sophie smiled as if the scriptwriter had hit the jackpot. "Precisely. If you keep going from there, you'll eventually reach past the sky in your mind, and go beyond to another realm or universe. That, my kindred, is what being a writer is about. Take a stick and change it into a sword, if you will."

"You are absolutely right about that!" Takamasa agreed. His expression softened a bit as he felt a profound respect for the turquoise-haired girl sitting across from him. "I feel as though I've gained a new tenacity when it comes to writing, and it's all thanks to you, my dear friend." He stood up and held out his right hand towards the center of the table for a handshake.

Sophie looked at the scriptwriter and smiled mutually as she got up from her seat. She held out her arm and took old of the hand that awaited hers. "Don't mention it," she said proudly. "It's the least I could do for a fellow writer. We also need to find a way to help each other out and give one another influential advice during these changing times, so you can count on me if you need any words of inspiration, Saetama."

Takamasa and Sophie's friendly exchange earned a couple of annoyed looks from Airi and Ren. The others looked up at the two writers; Takao, unfortunately, saw Ren and Airi's diagonally heated stares at towards the other two: Ren's at Takamasa, and Airi's toward Sophie. Their glares put a heavy load of pressure on the poor lawyer, which made him feel like backing away from the situation. He could not, however, since his seat was all the way against the window. If he wanted to get away from them, he and Yuta would have to be in the other's spot instead. Mashiro was smiling at the sight of the give-and-take-like atmosphere Sophie and Takamasa were giving off and found herself giggling at their bond. Yamato had his usual attentive expression planted onto his face with his arms folded against his chest as he looked at them; Yuta smiled, and Kunihiko seated himself next to the comedian and Mashiro with a flickering satisfaction.

"Saeki," Ren said firmly. "Get your hands off my fiancée."

Takamasa's eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of Ren's irritated expression. He blinked, confused at the blond's sudden change of character towards him. "Huh? Ren, what's gotten into you?"

"Sophie and I are engaged, as you already knew about a month ago," the blond reminded the scriptwriter. "As our parents designated the engagement, she and I are to be wed at the beginning of June. Try focusing on your own relationship instead of going to Sophie for any advice you may want in the future. I'm sure you can write something based off of your love life or get your ideas together when you start writing your next script. Aren't you in your 'productive' stage right now, anyway? You could keep writing without stopping to take a break and write more than one entire script for each episode of any TV series, whether it's a sitcom, romcom, melodrama, or whatever else you're currently writing for. It _is_ your job to keep finding other ways to arrange how you want the scenes to play out, isn't it? You can't always have someone help you with your career."

Takamasa stared at Ren with a posing expression for a few seconds before his lips curled up into an understanding smile. "Aha. So that's what this is about. Ren, you're jealous of me spending time with your fiancée most of all, aren't you~?"

Airi's eyes widened at hearing the scriptwriter's deduction. "Huh? Is that true? Ren, you're engaged to Sophie, and you actually _like_ her that way?" Then, she frowned and her shoulders slumped down. "Why didn't anyone tell me about this? I thought we were all friends with each other," she pouted.

"Hahaha!" Yuta laughed. "Don't you remember _at all_, Airi? It happened during our second year of high school. Ren told us that his parents decided for him to have an arranged marriage sometime in the future. And that person was Sophie."

Mashiro smiled. "Now that I think about it, I remember that Sophie told me about Ren the day after they got engaged. It was right before homeroom began. I also heard about you from her, Ren." She gave an eye smile after glancing at the blond. "I'm sure it must have been love at first sight for the both of you."

Ren's eyes widen as a hint of red appeared on his face. "…!"

Takao smiled naturally. "Wasn't it during lunch when Ren mentioned their engagement? He was as neutral as ever when he first told us. We were all surprised for a moment, but then, we were all happy for him."

"Yeah," Yamato acknowledged. "It flew over us in a short amount of time, but it was a nice change of pace for us. When Kuni heard about it, he was in high spirits himself. We really had a great time together when we celebrated back then."

Mashiro glanced at Yamato with a quizzical look of her own. "Really? Sophie, Lia, and I were the only ones at our school who knew about it. But our school was really big, so it was more of a secret between us three."

"Ehh?!" Yuta shouted. "Lia went to school with you two?! She never told me your names, just what you were like. I even heard that one of her friends was working on manga, but I didn't think it'd be Sophie! I also heard that your school was a top one, too!" By that time, he had already calmed down. "And anyway, all I really knew was that she had a few good friends over there."

Mashiro placed her left hand on her face and tilted her head to the side. "Ara? You knew Lia as well, Yuta? Sophie and I met her during our first year at Seishin Academy."

"Seishin Academy?" Yamato asked. "You mean, the elite training school that has the battle and protection system?"

"That's right," Mashiro confirmed. "I spent my high school days at Seishin with Lia and Sophie when we started out there. It was really fun." She closed her eyes and rested her head on her hand. "Ah~! I miss those times! We had lunch together and were also in the student council. There was also a lot of combat training and concerts, too. Every day we were there was exciting, and it was like a never-ending festival."

Sophie nodded with closed eyes and folded arms. "Un. I really liked it at Seishin, and I also based my manga series on it, too. It was exactly as Mashiro had described, and it still is, even today. There was never a day when we were bored, but what was least exciting for me was when Airi Hirabayashi transferred into the school." She opened her eyes and stared at the light purple-haired girl. "It was like being hit with a shovel from behind, and I can tell you that it wasn't pleasant at all."

Airi's eyes narrowed in irritation, and her whole expression showed on her face. "…It's not like I liked meeting you, either, Sophie. Lia was the only reason I even wanted to go to school there; hearing about school from her really captivated my attention in the first place. Plus, my parents told me about it, as well. You can also thank them for the opportunity if you want."

Takao closed his eyes and smiled at the girls' dispute. "At any rate, I'm sure it was a good experience for you, Airi. You had the chance of spending your time with girls, instead of guys." The lawyer opened his eyes again and looked down a bit with a thoughtful expression. "There was never a moment when you weren't with us, so I felt as though it was because of us that you didn't have many female friends until you went there."

Airi glanced at Takao with some realization in her eyes. "Takao…" She shook her head. "No, it was my fault, too. I never tried to make any friends with the girls at our school except for Shiro and Lia. I'm sorry."

"It's not like you need to apologize for anything," Takao replied with his usual smile. "Perhaps we didn't do anything for you, which was something I thought about more than once. However, I'm glad you made at least a few friends without our company. It took a bit of my concern away."

Airi smiled back. "Un. Arigato."

Sophie glanced towards her right. "If you want to thank anyone, I think you should at least say a few words to Lia when she comes here. Then again, Mashiro deserves some appreciation since she and the ditz over here have been friends since junior high."

"Huh? Really?" Takao inquired. "I never would have guessed. It's nice to know that Airi has another friend. Thank you, Mashiro, Sophie."

Sophie frowned. "I didn't want you to thank me. I was just stating the facts."

Takao saw the turquoise-haired girl's expression and smiled. "I know. But thank you, anyway," he reiterated.

"…" Sophie kept frowning and didn't look at anyone on her left, still folding her arms.

Ren glanced at his fiancée and smiled. "…"

Kunihiko viewed the sight at the table and displayed a smile of his own. "How about we have a meal together before we close for the night? I'm sure all this talking is making everyone hungry."

"Good idea," Yamato smirked. "We still haven't eaten lunch yet, so you can count me in." He glanced at Mashiro. "How about you, Mashiro? Wanna have something to eat together before we head back?"

Mashiro smiled and nodded. "Un! I want some omurice and tonkatsu with a cold glass of water."

"Haha," Yamato said. "You must really like Kuni's cooking. I wouldn't mind having shrimp fried rice to eat, though."

Kunihiko nodded. "Coming right up. I'll take everyone else's order right now, so don't hesitate to tell me what you want." Then, he added, "You should cook yourself, Yamato. I'm not the only one who can prepare all this food and serve everyone, you know."

Yamato frowned at the sports bar owner and sighed. "Fine. I'll help you out. But we're adding a lot of rice and shrimp to my dish, okay?"

"Of course," the purple-haired man responded. "We have plenty of ingredients, so I'll give you a big plate of it."

Yamato grinned at the service he was getting from Kunihiko. "All right! A deal's a deal, then. How about everyone else?"

"I'll have some pizza," Sophie immediately replied. "I've been into it lately."

"That'll take too long to make!" Yamato retorted.

Sophie frowned. "No, it won't. You can have it done within fifteen minutes, if you count the time it takes to put the sauce and toppings on, and the time it takes to bake. It should be as simple as that, Yamato Kougami."

"Gg…!" the auburn-haired man grimaced. He hated admitting it, but he knew the turquoise-haired girl was correct. He let out another sigh. "Alright. I'll make it for you. Any toppings you want?"

Sophie smiled in a satisfied manner when she saw Yamato's obedience. "Bacon, pineapple, and spinach. Make it a large one for everyone to share. Also, I'm really hungry today, so you might want to make another couple of them. There's still time for us to celebrate, so make sure to cook a lot of food today."

Takao chuckled. "You can count me in as well. I'm looking forward to the food when it's ready."

"Then," Ren said, "I'll have some pasta and hamburger. I'm sure Takao and the others would like some, too."

Takamasa smiled. "Some pasta and curry for me. You know we're all starving to death over here, so make it fast, Yamato."

"Don't forget to bake some cookies and give us some orange juice," Yuta recommended. "We could always use some snacks whenever we eat together."

Airi raised her hand up. "And some jelly! Plus, some cabbage and apples. Oh, and a big bowl of salad, along with some sandwiches and soda. It's a party, right? We should have some more to eat and drink."

A cruciform quickly appeared on Yamato's forehead. "You guys are all demanding! If you're going to order that much stuff to eat, just order something we can all eat together like sukiyaki or nabe!"

Airi pouted. "But it's too early to eat them! Nabe, especially. We should have it in winter. We're still in spring, Yamato! Think a little before telling us something like that."

"But sukiyaki might not be bad," Yuta commented. "I remember we had some together at my place. It was really good, and we even had seconds. There was also another time when we had a third serving of it, too."

"I know that," the light purple-haired girl replied. "But Yamato's just a pain to deal with sometimes. Nagging to us about our late lunch. We've been starving for quite some time, and it's already put him in a bad mood today."

"Hey!" Yamato yelled angrily. "I'll have you know that cooking for a group of people takes more time than you think. If you're going to complain about it, don't even think about eating the food I make."

Now, it was time for Airi to counter back. "Geez, Yamato. Do you have any idea how much time we've spent on chatting all day? I'm hungry, and so is everyone else, so just get to it already!"

"Alright, alright," Yamato finally complied. "I'll go make all of your ridiculous orders. Just give me some time, and I'll have them out before sunset."

Mashiro made a face when she heard the word "sunset" come out of Yamato's mouth. "Ehhhhh? Sunset? But that's in two hours! We're all going to die from starvation by then, Yamato." She placed her head on the table along with both of her arms. "Ahh~, I'm hungry…"

"Nice going, Yamato," Takamasa narrowed his eyes as he demeaned the physics teacher. "You're going to let your wife starve to death? How cruel can you be?"

Airi nodded. "Sou, sou. Don't you feel bad for Shiro? I thought you two were supposed to help each other out in times of need."

"Now, I didn't let you marry Mashiro just so you could neglect her, Yamato," Kunihiko reminded the recent newlywed. "You're her husband, aren't you? The role of a married man outside of work is to support his family, and you're not doing a fine job of treating your wife the way she _should_ be treated."

Yamato averted his gaze embarrassedly as his face turned red. "I-It's not like I was trying to abuse Mashiro or anything! I was just frustrated at the different orders we had, that's all. I wouldn't do something cruel as to let her starve on purpose."

"So you would do it unintentionally?" Kunihiko asked. "That's a horrible thing to do on your part."

Yamato swiftly turned his head towards Kunihiko. "N-No! I only said that in a hurry, Kuni!"

Kunihiko laughed. "Ahaha. I know what you were trying to say. I was just kidding, you know."

"…"

"Now, get to it," the purple-haired man ordered. "We've got to feed everyone here and we're wasting too much time."

"Yeah, yeah…" Yamato complained. He walked into the kitchen with Kunihiko and began the preparations.

After everyone had eaten together, they started leaving. Takamasa and Airi were the first ones to walk out the door. As they took a stroll home, the light purple-haired celebrity began to speak.

"Ne, Taka-kun," she said with a friendly smile. She was also blushing as they kept walking.

Without looking back, Takamasa asked, "Hmm?"

"Do you think I can help you with your script?" Airi proposed. "You know, since you've been working hard lately, I was wondering if there was anything I could do for you. We've been going out for over six and a half years, so we can try helping each other out every now and then. Besides, we're also…"

"…in love with each other, even today?" Takamasa finished with a smile. He knew in his heart that he felt the same way towards Airi. His chest was still overflowing with the affection he held since he fell in love with her. He looked down with strong emotions as they kept talking. "I appreciate the fact that you still care about me, so of course I'd let you help me, Airi. That's a part of what couples can do for their loved ones, after all."

Airi's expression brightened. "Then, does that mean…?"

Takamasa nodded. "Yeah. You can help me with my script. You're my future partner, so there's no way I would ever refuse anything you want to do for me." He turned around and looked at his girlfriend tenderly. "You're the only one I love, Airi. I would never want to hurt you, and I always want to be with you."

"Taka-kun…" Airi smiled softly; tears formed in her eyes and rolled down shortly after with the overwhelming emotions that poured out from her heart. She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and kept smiling. "I love you, too. I've never forgotten about you all these years. You're the only one in the world for me, and I've always wanted to stay with you after all these years."

"Then," Takamasa said, "let's be together for the rest of our lives, and hope to meet again when we reincarnate into this world. That way, we could fall in love with each other again, and keep on loving one another for all eternity."

Airi nodded and closed her eyes. There were still tears in them as she continued to respond to the scriptwriter's words. "Un!" She opened her eyes and ran up to her lover, wrapping her arms around Takamasa's neck. "I want to be with you forever, Taka-kun. I don't ever want to leave your side."

Takamasa soon return Airi's embrace and wrapped his arms around her back. "Me neither. I'll keep on loving you no matter what, and I'll stay by your side." He buried his head on Airi's shoulder and it was as if they were in their own world with no one else to both them for a while before heading towards their apartment.

Later that night in Yamato and Mashiro's apartment, the two of them had already finished eating dinner together, and Yamato was about to get ready to take a bath. All of a sudden, Mashiro gazed at Yamato.

"Um, Yamato?" she asked. A thought had crossed her mind when they were eating together at the dining table. She looked down with a sad expression and decided to bring up the subject. "There's something's I've been wanting to ask you since dinner. I've thought about it for a while now after we got married, so I'd like you to hear me out on this."

The auburn-haired man nodded as a serious expression appeared on his face. "What is it? If it's been troubling you, I'll do what I can to help you with it, Mashiro."

Mashiro gave a slight nod of her own without looking at her husband. "Un."

She became silent for some time before confronting the matter.

_When I think about it now, _she thought. _I've noticed that we don't actually know much about each other. In fact, I haven't even asked Yamato about his family, and yet… I know about the things he likes to do, along with his favorite dishes. Even though we've been married for nearly a month, we haven't completely been able to understand one another._

At that moment, Mashiro looked up and stared into Yamato's eyes with a stern expression on her face. "I want to know… about your family, Yamato."

"Huh?" A puzzled look took over Yamato's solemn one. When he realized what he had just been asked, his eyes widened. "…!" He immediately understood what the fawn-haired girl had meant and he was soon in a blank state.


	5. Episode 5

What's Led Us to Where We Are Today

"Yamato," Mashiro said with a stern expression, "I want to know… about your family." As she looked at Yamato, Mashiro had an intense stare, which soon transformed itself into yet another sad expression from the fawn-haired girl. Her eyes lowered and she looked down. "There's just so much I don't know about you, and it's been bothering me this whole time we've been married. I was wondering whether or not I was really suited to be your wife since we haven't talked to each other about our families very much. That's why…I want to get to know you better, for both our sakes."

Yamato's eyes widened when he finally understood the situation. His expression relaxed and his arms came down to his sides. "Mashiro…" He looked down with his own sorrowful expression dawning his face. "I never knew… that you felt that way. I'm sorry for not noticing sooner. Please forgive me."

_I didn't see any signed of concern for me, not even once, _he thought. _Perhaps it was because I never checked on her this whole time, or even turned around in the mornings when I left for work. I always saw a smile on her face as she waved at me. Damn it all… It was all my fault for not being a good husband to her even though I promised on the day of our wedding._

He sighed, continuing his thoughts.

_Man… I still don't know why I even said those words, but I knew I was pretty happy to at least say something like that for someone else's sake, and it turned out to be for Mashiro. But should I have told everyone that day that I would be giving her a false sense of joy? And what did Kuni mean by wanting to give me _true happiness_, anyway? I still don't get it. Is there a purpose for this, or what? What is it that he's trying so hard to do for me? Well, not that he's actually trying that much since he's a lazy bum, but still. He could have told me more about his intentions. If he had done that, I wouldn't have been dragged into this mess in the first place. I do have to admit that it was mainly because of me that he pitched in, though._

Another sigh.

_I guess it's up to me now to get myself, along with Mashiro, out of this fake marriage. But before I can do _that_, I have to be honest with her._

After finishing his inner point of view, Yamato glanced up and stared strongly into Mashiro's eyes. "Alright," he said, "I'll tell you. About my family. You see, I was raised by my mother for most of my life. But when I was almost eighteen, she passed away. That was about five years ago. At that point, I had already graduated from high school with Yuta. You and the girls were probably about to start your last year of high school by then. At any rate, I was preparing to go to college within a few months, but… It was during the summer three days before my birthday."

_July 17, 1999_

_ A nearly eighteen-year-old Yamato Kougami was on his way towards the college he was going to go to during the fall semester of that year. He had always dreamt of becoming a physics teacher for quite some time now, and he was proud of the occupation he had chosen before his graduation with his friend, Yuta._

_ Within a few minutes, he stopped and gazed at the large building that was several meters away from where he was standing. His mouth opened and his eyes widened in astounding awe and amazement at the sight. He could not wait until he could finally take his designated classes there in a few months._

_ "Man," Yamato breathed, "I can't believe I'm almost in college… It'll be a long ride, but I'll be able to work my way towards being a physics teacher in just five years. I bet Mom will be happy when she hears this. I better go tell her about it today."_

_ He walked forward, crossing the street once the light turned green, and went around the corner. As he made his way towards the hospital his mother was staying in, he felt as if someone had blessed him with the chance he had. It seemed too good to be true since he had been living a great life; he even went to school with his friends and was into baseball while also focusing on his studies every year. He and his friends had also met a rare member in their group, and their new companion was a girl who was on her way with Ren to their third and last year of high school. However, she had transferred after the past school year had ended._

Too bad Airi won't be able to keep Ren any company this year, _Yamato thought. _He doesn't have many friends outside our group, and neither does Airi, but they get along pretty well. It's kind of refreshing to see them understand each other, actually. I hope she's having fun at her new school after the next trimester starts. She might make a new friend or rival there, but I'll have to ask her about it later on. Plus, it's for Saeki's sake since he's been working late at night on his scripts. It's a bit of a pain to keep checking up on him, but he's also hopeless when it comes to love. If he keeps thinking about her all the time, he won't be able to get out of his depression. Honestly, that guy… He's too love-struck to think about himself nowadays.

_Then, Yamato smirked to himself._

Ah, well. It kind of helps get me going since he gives me a job to clean up his place. It's not so bad when I think about it. I hate to admit it, but I feel bad for him. If anyone could get him back outside for any pastime activities, it'd be Kuni, Takao, and Airi. Maybe Yuta, too. I just don't get how he finds Yuta's jokes to be funny. Yuta rids them of any sense of humor, so it's like having Ren's deadpan expression all over the place.

_He looked directly in front of him and walked towards the entrance of the hospital. Then, a smile crept onto his face. "Well, looks like I'll at least be able to say hi to Mom before she has to have the nurses take care of her."_

_ Soon, he was inside the building. Then, He went to his mother's hospital room, knock and opened the door._

_ "Excuse me for the intrusion," he pardoned himself as he walked in and closed the door._

_ A woman who was looking out the window turned towards the auburn-haired high school graduate's direction and smiled at him._

_ "Ah, Yamato," she kept smiling as she greeted her son. "I'm glad you're here. Why don't you have a seat next to me? We can talk as much as you want until it's time for you to go." She had weary eyes and a tired expression spread onto her face. Her breathing seemed slower than usual and she closed her eyes for a bit._

_ Yamato's eyes widened and he quickly ran towards his mother's side. He had a firm grip on the bouquet of roses in his right hand._

_ "Mom!" he shouted. Within a few seconds, he was already by the woman's side. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay? Are you in pain?"_

_ Yamato mother shook her head with the same smile she had not too long ago. She smiled right away as she lifted her head gradually to look at Yamato's face. "No. I'm just a little exhausted, that's all. You don't have to worry about me, Yamato. I'll be okay."_

_ "But…" Yamato hesitated with a worried look on his face._

_ His mother kept smiling as she gazed at the auburn-haired young adult in front of her. "I'll be fine." She put her hands on Yamato's and gently took hold of them, bringing them away from her shoulders. "You should think more about yourself, my dear son. Just look at you. Your face is so full of panic that I'm not sure I'll be able to rest properly and recover in time to see you go off to college. Where's the happy grin you always show me? I'd rather see that than having you get so concerned about my sake." She let go of Yamato's hands and rested her head on the pillow on the bed. "You're my son, remember? You're stronger than you think you are, so I always want to see you smiling. I don't want to be sad, Yamato. I only want you to be happy. That's my wish."_

_ "Mom…" Yamato understood his mother's feelings. He had always known that she didn't want to trouble him, but it only made him care about her even more. After all, they were family. She was all he had left in the world they lived in, and other than that, only his friends were his remaining support to keep him living. He nodded sadly and sat down in the chair next to the hospital bed. "I know." He brought himself to smile and held out the bouquet. "I got these for you. They're your favorite, so I wanted to give them to you before going home today."_

_ Yamato's mother smiled once more as she looked at the bunch of roses. "My, they're very lovely, Yamato. If only I could hold them… My arms and legs have been getting weaker lately, so I don't think I have enough strength to take them from you. It's almost time for me to rest, anyway. I'm sorry."_

_ Yamato shook his head. "No, you don't have to apologize for anything, Mom. I just wanted to give you something since I won't have much time to visit you after I go off to college. Oh, yeah," he added as he smiled warmheartedly at his mother. "I saw it on my way here. You know, the college I picked for my first choice. I can't wait to get in. I'll study a lot and become a great teacher in the future. You can count on that."_

_ "So, my little boy has finally grown up and decided to go off to college," his mother responded in a relaxed tone of voice. She closed her eyes, revealing an eye smile. "I'm glad. You've been wanting to apply to Jouin College _(定因大学 _Jouin Daigaku_) for_ a while now. It's a good thing you were accepted. I'm proud to see you head towards your dream, and I hope I won't ever forget this happiness for the remainder of my life. I love you, Yamato."_

_ Yamato could sense a foreboding feeling welling within him. It was as if something was going to happen right before his eyes, and he did not like what he felt. He blinked, retreating into his thoughts._

What _is_ this? Even though Mom's congratulating me, I don't even feel as happy as I _should_ be. What in the world is going on? Don't tell me that she's going to…

_Yamato's mother saw the troubled expression on her son's face and said, "Yamato? What's wrong? You don't look well. Is something the matter?"_

_ "Mom," Yamato called out to his mother while looking down. "Are you… going to…" He trailed off, knowing what was going to happen._

So, this is it, huh? _He thought. _It's about time to say goodbye and soon… I won't be able to see her again.

_Yamato's mother smiled tenderly at him. "I'm sorry, Yamato. It looks like I couldn't hide it from you, after all." Her breathing slowed a bit more as she closed her eyes. Then, she opened them and looked at Yamato once more before saying farewell to him. "But… If there was anything I could have done to prevent your sorrow, there is one thing I must say before I go to the netherworld. I should have told you about your father a long time ago. It was because of me that you didn't get to grow up with him by your side. However…" Her eyes lowered as she thought back to the memories she had with Yamato's father and smiled at the remembrance. "He was a good man that I didn't think I would fall in love with, and yet… I don't regret meeting him because… If he hadn't been a part of my life, I would have never had you. You were the gift he gave me before I… Well." She sighed, staring at the ceiling. "That's all I can really say about him. Please try to understand. I was the one at fault back then, not your father. He really was a good man to this day, and I'll never think badly of him." She glanced at Yamato and continued. "Thank you… for being born my son, Yamato. I'll always love you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that you will find that special someone one day to share your happiness, sorrow, and emotions with. I'd like you to get married and have children one day so that you can forget about me and live out your life without regrets. Can you promise me that you'll find your own happiness…?"_

_ Tears formed in Yamato eyes and he nodded, closing them. "Yeah…! I promise! I'll always love you, too, Mom… So…" He opened his eyes and faced his mother with a smile forming on his face. "I'll keep smiling from now on and be happy, for your sake." His voice was breaking, but he still tried his best to put on a happy face as tears kept rolling down his cheeks. "Thank you… for everything you've done for me up until now… Thank you… Mom…" After that, he couldn't help but burst into tears, crying in front of his mother._

_ She smiled back and tears also formed in her eyes, dripping down her face like a waterfall. Shortly afterwards, she closed her eyes, and the heart rate on the monitor on the other side of the hospital bed stopped. Yamato's eyes widened before he broke into more tears. Within a few seconds, he had called for help from the nurses and told them of his mother's passing._

Back to the present, Yamato finished the rest of his family background.

"I never knew who my father was," he continued. "My mother always told me that he was a good person and that he had died when I was a kid. However, I soon found out on the day of her funeral that it wasn't true. The morning after she died, my grandmother told me that my father wasn't dead, and that he was still alive. She had visited him from time to time, along with my grandfather to check on him. Whenever he asked them to let him see my mother, they would refuse and tell him to give up on her. They stopped going after she died, and I would come see them from time to time. To be more precise, my father was the reason why I decided to apply for a job at the school I currently work at. He still is, though, and I'm positive that he's forgotten about my mom."

Mashiro frowned. "But… Are you sure of that? Maybe he hasn't actually forgotten about your mother as you suspect him to have. It's too early to assume something like that without knowing what he's buried down in his heart and mind."

Yamato shook his head. "No, I have a strong feeling that he probably didn't care about my mom, and that he tossed her away when she was pregnant with me. I've tried many times to get closer to him, but it seems like he's put up an overfriendly and caring front for everyone to see. He's the principal of my school, Mashiro."

"Eh?" Mashiro blinked. "Your father's the principal of the school you work at? But I…"

"Anyway, what about you?" Yamato asked, turning away from the matter. "What's your family like?"

Mashiro looked down like before, but decided to reveal her familial background to her husband as she had wished to get to know one another better.

"What I'm about to tell you is something that's similar to yours," she began. "To be honest with you, Yamato…" She looked up and gazed into the auburn-haired man's eyes. "I don't have any parents."

Yamato's eyes widened when he heard that. "What?" He certainly did not expect to find out about Mashiro that way, but he knew it was true.

However, Mashiro only nodded firmly, matching her expression. "My parents died when I was thirteen in a car accident, so it's been nearly ten years since they passed away. I was also left to fend for myself and take care of my younger sister back then. She was only eight, and we were orphans. But… One day, Kun Kun walked up to us and took my sister and I in his care. He took us to his home in Shinjuku and provided us with shelter and clothing, along with daily meals and paid for our education, despite the fact we were strangers back then. At first, I didn't trust him when he tried to be nice to us after our encounter with him. But soon, I quickly came to accept his kindness and opened up to him the day he crossed our paths." She smiled fondly, thinking back to that time. "It was a winter day, but when he told us it would be okay, it felt as though all the ice had melted, and it became warmer." She looked up and kept smiling, but it was more casual this time. "I ended up receiving scholarships, and eventually enrolled in Seishin Academy. If it wasn't for Kun Kun, I wouldn't have made it to where I was. There's just one thing that I keep thinking about, though."

"What is it?" Yamato inquired attentively. He felt a sense of nostalgia within him when Mashiro had mentioned his baseball coach and was able to relate to Mashiro somehow.

Mashiro frowned once more, having a distant expression. "I can't remember anything about my parents or sister besides that incident. My parents' face and names don't even appear to me whenever I try to remember them. About my sister… I can only remember the day we met Kun Kun. After that, however, I can't even remember anything else about her. I was diagnosed with amnesia before the end of my third year at Seishin Academy. I know something happened to cause it but I don't remember the event. Sophie, Airi, and Lia probably remember what happened, but I didn't ask them about it because I wanted to move on from that time. Kun Kun also knows, but…"

"He's probably keeping it from you for your sake," Yamato figured. He was still as grim as ever. "And I'm sure the others are doing the same thing because they care about you, Mashiro. You trust them, right? I'm sure they mean a lot to you, too, so you're both helping each other one way or another. Your bonds are stronger than a person who wouldn't understand your situation. Everything'll be okay as long as you have each other. The same goes for me and the guys. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to move on from my mom's death." He grinned and added the rest. "They've always been there for me, so don't worry about it and keep smiling. I like you the way you are, and I wouldn't have married you if I didn't. You're my wife, you know? I promised to support you, and vice versa. So, I'm here for you. We're family, after all. That's what marriage is about, right? Supporting your family."

Mashiro nodded and smiled softly. "Arigato, Yamato. I'll continue to support you, as well. I'm your wife, so I'll help anyway I can."

"Yeah," Yamato answered. He felt better after talking with Mashiro and a warm yet clear sensation filled his heart as he saw his wife's smile.

_I wonder if this is what caring for your spouse feels like, _he thought. _Whenever I see Mashiro, I become happier knowing that she's here with me. But. Could it be more than just caring about your one and only family that makes me so… loving? I've never felt like this around anyone before, so what exactly _is_ it? I don't know how to describe it, but it's like a waltz that never ends, or a seasonal change of some sort. Either, it's like a rechargeable battery that doesn't die out for some reason._

Inside the bathroom, Yamato sat inside the bathtub, which was filled with warm water that wasn't too hot. He thought to himself as he soaked in the water.

_Mashiro's parents are deceased and her sister's nowhere to be found. At least, that's what she can remember, anyway. She doesn't even know if she's still alive, and it's like the only person who knows is Kuni. Sophie and Airi might also know where she is, but I'm not sure if they can provide enough information to get them to reunite with each other. So, I guess the only choice I really have is to ask Kuni. I'll do that tomorrow morning before noon. For now, all I can really do is find out more about Mashiro's past before she suspects anything._

While Yamato was still thinking to himself, Mashiro was laying on the bed on her right side. She stared off into space before closing her eyes and falling asleep shortly after.

—**The following day—**

Yamato opened the door on the right entrance of Long Island and stepped inside.

"Kuni?" he called out. "You here?" He scanned around the area, searching for the bar owner.

As anticipated, Kunihiko came out from the kitchen with his usual expression. "Yamato, what can I help you with today? You're pretty early, and I mean earlier from last time when you came to check on Saeki."

"There's something I need to ask," the auburn-haired man told the IT company CEO. "It's about Mashiro."

Kunihiko tilted his head to the side. "About Mashiro? Why don't you ask her yourself? She _is_ your wife, isn't she? There's really no need to come to me about her, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Yamato replied. "There's just something that been bothering me since yesterday. We talked about each other's family, and I told her about my mother and my father. I heard her side, as well, and I thought about what she's had for a while now."

"What Mashiro's had for a while?" Kunihiko asked. "Care to elaborate on it while we're here? I can't help you if I don't know what you really want, Yamato."

A staid expression crossed Yamato's face as he stared at Kunihiko. "I want to know… about Mashiro's amnesia. She said that she was diagnosed with it years ago around her senior year at Seishin Academy, but she doesn't remember what caused her to lose her memories. She doesn't remember much about her family, either, so I thought you might be able to explain more about it since you and the girls know something about it."

Kunihiko sighed and frowned. "So she's told you about her family, huh?" A conflicted expression replaced the perplexed one he had a few seconds before. "Well… I'm sure she's already mentioned about the time she met me, but anyway." He started explaining about the next matter. "When Mashiro and the girls were at Seishin, there was a large battle and even a mission in which all of the third-years had to protect the school from a criminal organization that was planning to attack a factory in the area. All of them had a special weapon or more to go along with their abilities and since Seishin was a school that was built for the sake of helping others around Japan, this came in handy against any adversaries that threatened society. The seniors immediately tracked down the factory and went there to disable the detonators that were implanted all inside the building."

_Four years ago, on the night of March 1, 2000_

_ Airi nodded, a stern expression on her face. "Shiro, we'll go and take out the ones we find first. You and Sophie go ahead and take out the rest."_

_ "Right," Mashiro nodded back. She had a red uniform on with a blazer over a white, long sleeve button-down shirt and a red flared skirt that was about the length of a miniskirt/school uniform one. She also wore white thigh-high stockings and brown knee-high lace-up boots and carried two long, thin swords, one in each of her hands. "Let's hurry. We don't have much time left to disable and destroy them."_

_ Another girl nodded, one with short green hair and brown eyes, carrying a large tambourine that didn't have a drumhead in her left hand. Her right hand was empty, and she smirked. "Don't you worry, Mashiro. We're the most powerful students in our school and we have a duty to protect the world from danger. It'll be a giant piece of cake."_

_ Mashiro frowned. "Yes. But don't forget that this is the last mission we'll have before graduation, which is in less than two more weeks from now. Our school may be one that finishes the school year a bit earlier than other schools, but we still have to go through with this and protect the other students and citizens in Japan who aren't involved with Rose Blade."_

_ She ran ahead at a rapid speed, and the other two followed after her to back her up._

_ Airi sighed. "Well, that's basically how it is. We _are_ an elite combat school, after all. Immense training to become the strongest fighters against evil. It may _sound_ cliché, but we really are doing what the slogan says."_

_ The green-haired girl narrowed her eyes in irritation. "Get to work, Airi. We've got to hurry on this. Who knows what'll happen if we don't do our job properly."_

_ "It's not like I'm trying to stall for time, Lia," the light purple-haired girl argued. "Anyway, you know it's the truth. Plus, we're already running _towards_ the factory at this moment! Aren't we carrying out our mission already?!"_

_ A cruciform appeared on Lia's forehead, and she shouted, "We're only going there on foot right now! We haven't come across the path of a detonator yet, you idiot! Someone needs to knock some sense into your head every once in a while, so just focus on finding them and deactivating as much as you can." Her composure returned to normal and she added, "Besides, this might be the last thing we ever try to do if they blow up by the time we get there."_

_ Airi sighed. "I know. It's not like I'm happy about it, either. This could be the end for us and all of Shinjuku if we can't follow the principal's orders."_

_ They hurried and within less than a minute, they were already at the entrance of the building. Lia and Airi glanced at each other quickly and nodded before heading inside. They soon found detonators all around themselves, and prepared their weapons, splitting up to different parts of the factory; Airi pulled out a long silver pole that extended itself from both ends, hitting the detonators on her side, while Lia beat her tambourine in the air, creating a musical flow that swiftly malfunctioned the ones in the entire area. It soon spread over to where Airi was, and disabled the rest. Shortly afterward, Sophie came in with a large hammer, running past them to where Mashiro was. The light purple and green-haired girls' eyes widened and they understood what it meant._

Shiro! _Airi thought._

Mashiro! _Lia's shouted inside her mind at the same time._

_After realizing that Mashiro was in danger, Lia used her tambourine and began ringing it several times as she and Airi ran to find Sophie and Mashiro. The light purple-haired girl's pole extended left and right, breaking the detonators it smashed as they continued to make their way through._

_ At that time, Mashiro and Sophie were in the last room all the way to the end of the building. There was only one detonator left to inactivate. As Mashiro took a few steps ahead, Sophie stopped._

_ "Wait, Mashiro," the turquoise-haired girl said. "It could be a trap. This one might have more than enough power to create an enormous explosion here than the others. Who knows what will happen if we decide to deactivate it now."_

_ Mashiro frowned, and a very severe expression was on her face. "But if we don't do anything, we will endanger the lives of everyone else in the city. We can't just let Rose Blade have their way with the people here, Sophie."_

_ "I know," Sophie sighed, "but we can't be reckless about it. Usually, the last part of every mission we've had was to check to see if something was wrong with the way it was set up. We aren't doing that right now."_

_ Mashiro glanced at her best friend before smiling to reassure her. "Don't worry. Things will all be fine once we're done here."_

_ Sophie stared at the fawn-haired girl for a moment, and knew there was nothing she could do to stop her best friend from completing the mission they were assigned. "Mashiro…" She glanced at the floor and nodded with a trusting smile when she looked back at Mashiro. "Un. I know you'll be okay, so I'll leave it to you."_

_ Mashiro closed her eyes and smiled back. "Thanks, Sophie. It'll be over soon, so we can have fun together afterwards. I promise."_

_ She turned her attention at the detonator and took a step forward. Then, she held both of her swords out, and crossed them together, piercing the machine. It let out a small spark of static, seemingly having been disabled. Mashiro pulled out her swords and turned around. Just as she and Sophie were about to leave the room, something they did not expect to happen shocked the both of them. They quickly turned towards the direction of the detonator. What they saw in front of them was static. The detonator was shaking and smoke came out from it. It rocked back and forth rigorously; the girls' eyes widened. Sophie had a horrifying premonition from it and rapidly glanced towards Mashiro's direction._

_ "Mashiro!" she shouted._

_ Right after she called out the fawn-haired girl's name, the detonator exploded, blowing away the objects in the room, burning them without any warning. After it ended, there were bits and pieces of machinery, boxes, and some other things that were sprawled out on the floor._

_ Sophie was coughing, covering her mouth with her right hand for a couple moments. She opened her eyes and continued to cough a little more as she scanned the area around her. Within a few seconds, she saw Mashiro's unconscious form laying on the floor where she (Mashiro) had been standing not too long ago. Sophie's eyes widened and she rushed over to her best's friend's side._

_ "Mashiro!" Sophie was frantically checking the fawn-haired girl's tattered body as she held Mashiro's body close to her. She soon calmed down, checking the side of Mashiro's neck with her index and middle fingers. Then, she felt a pulse and sighed, relieved that Mashiro was still alive. Although there was dust and tiny, broken grains of gravel on the fawn-haired girl's uniform, hair, and whatnot, all that mattered was that Mashiro was safe and sound._

_ Soon enough, Airi and Lia came in and found the two who had gone ahead of them. They could hardly believe what they saw. Airi's body dropped down and she was on her knees. Lia understood what had happened from the sight and her shoulders slumped. Everything that happened that night was reported to the Shinjuku police and staff of Seishin Academy within a phone call from Lia's cell phone. The event was explained to the authorities, and the third-year students were thanked and apologized to for their hard work. It soon became known as the Abandoned Factory Incident, and journalists and news reporters had gotten hold of what had happened. Although not fatally injured, a few of the students who were recovering in the nearby hospital had external wounds or memory problems. They were still fine, however, due to Seishin Academy's illustrious feat of training the students enrolled there to withstand such casualties. Without the bravery of the students who traveled all the way to the factory and risked their lives to immobilize the detonators that were inside, Shinjuku would not have had a single survivor. It was thanks to those who participated in doing something for the sake of others that Shinjuku, and its people, still exist today._

"Along with some other students who were involved in disabling the detonators," Kunihiko continued, "Mashiro was one of the victims to have had any signs of memory loss. There were also others who had some wounds and injuries, but no one was killed thanks to them. It's an incredible story that made Seishin Academy even more famous than it was many years ago when it was first built. If Mashiro hadn't been the one to draw her swords, the timer would have went off and blew all of Shinjuku away. Sophie and the girls still regret not having been able to protect her from getting hit by the last detonator sooner; in fact, it took less than a couple seconds to explode right in front of them and hit Mashiro. As for her memories and family, Mashiro hasn't been able to remember anything besides the day I encountered her and her younger sister."

Yamato listened on for any more details. "So, what happened to Mashiro's sister? There has to be something that she must want to tell Mashiro. I'm sure she would want to see her again, too. The two of them are family, after all."

"You're right," Kunihiko answered. He smiled moderately as ever before and explained further. "But she can't for Mashiro's sake."

The auburn-haired man blinked. "Huh? Why is that?"

Kunihiko let out a sad sigh and looked down. "Even if they were to meet face-to-face, Mashiro wouldn't be able to remember her. I'm sure by now that her memory of that day has faded away completely. Ever since that incident, Mashiro's forgotten about those who were related to her, and the doctor who were in charge of the injured students said that those with memory problems would eventually forget everything about what their own family members look like, and even their personalities. There has been nothing we could do to prevent that, but Mashiro knows that something is missing from deep within her mind. She wants to remember, but she can't even though she's tried to."

"You mean…" Yamato trailed off, having another bad feeling about what he was told. "…Mashiro might never be able to remember who her sister and parents are…? Not even once…?"

Kunihiko nodded gravely. The answer was just as clear as the strong look in his eyes when he gazed at Yamato's stunned state. "Unfortunately, yes." He then smiled, as if to say that it was alright. "However, I can tell you this: Mashiro's sister is safe and living well at the Kanzaki residence which is located in a hidden village not known to many outside the countryside. I can tell you the address, but maybe it would be better if you and Ren looked more into Sophie's family. But even so, it would be tougher to gain access to their home. Sophie's grandmother rules over the village and is a very notorious figure. How about you wait for a little while before you decide to head off to where her family lives? And when you do, make sure to get Ren to come along with you. He's her fiancé, and they might not let you into their household without someone who has a connection to her."

Yamato nodded and had a solemn expression on his face as he understood the meaning of the CEO's words. "Alright. Don't worry about it. I won't be hasty and go there right away. Besides," he added, "it isn't time for something like that yet, so I'll just head home after getting some stuff from the supermarket. Thanks anyway, Kuni. I'll see you later."

"Have a good trip back home, Yamato," Kunihiko replied. He gave a small wave with his left hand and bid the younger man a few more parting words. "Don't forget to check up on Mashiro. Also, you might want to stop by Saeki's to get him some stuff. Airi's helping him out with his next script, and they've been working on it together after breakfast. Just bring them some groceries so they won't forget about having lunch later on."

"Got it," Yamato grinned.

After that, he turned around, headed out, and walked to the supermarket for the things he needed to purchase, and started his grocery spree. He was going to have a great time there since it was like a haven for him and he could not help but keep his smile on his face when he arrived in front of the store. 

Inside Takamasa and Airi's apartment, the lovebirds were sitting at a table near the living room furniture, and were happily enjoying planning out the current script for Takamasa's current work. With the scriptwriter's laptop in front of them, they continued to add to the numerous amount of pages.

"Wow, it's almost finished!" Airi exclaimed with a bright smile. She was wearing glasses as she commented on the next lot of pages. "This goes by faster when we're both working together, doesn't it?"

Takamasa nodded with fulfillment at the nearly finished script. Then, he turned to his right and looked at Airi with a gratified smile. "It's all thanks to you, my dear. If you hadn't asked to help me with it, none of this could have been done so early. And we're just in time for…" He leaned in closer for a kiss, closing his eyes as his lips were about to reach Airi's.

The light purple-haired girl did the same and slowly leaned forward with her eyes closed. Just as their lips were about to touch one another's, the doorbell rang. The both opened their eyes instantaneously at the same time and quickly pulled back. Takamasa grimaced with irritation, while Airi averted her gaze towards her right, flustered by what had just happened.

Takamasa sighed and got up from his seat. "I'll get it." He walked to the door and opened it. The next thing he knew, Yamato was right in front of him with filled grocery bags in both or his hands. "Yamato? What are you doing here?" he asked, puzzled by the appearance of the married man.

"I came here to give you guys some stuff," the auburn-haired man replied. "Kuni told me you and Airi were working on your next script for the current drama that's been airing for two weeks now. Since the series is nearing its third week, I bought some stuff for you guys in case you forget to eat lunch together later on. You're almost done, right? Go ahead and take these." He held out two of the bags in his right hand, which were soon in front of the scriptwriter's face.

Takamasa frowned with narrowed eyes, but took the plastic bags anyway. "Thanks for the concern, but you were interrupting something important here. By the way," he considered, "how did you know we were almost done with it? Every room here is soundproofed, so there's no way you could have heard anything outside the walls."

"What?" Yamato asked with baffled eyes. "I just had a feeling you'd be finished with it soon. Two heads are better than one, you know."

Takamasa smirked. "As expected of a high school teacher. You haven't changed one bit since you went to college, but that's one of the great things about you."

"What can I say?" Yamato shrugged with his usual, broad grin. "I like that about myself, too, so I appreciate the sentiment you're giving me."

Takamasa laughed. "Ahaha. Don't get too full of yourself there, bub. You've still got a long way to go before you can catch up to your elders."

"And since when did you care about your age?" Yamato asked a bit angrily. His tone was milder than it was before Mashiro and Sophie's arrival. "You've never said anything like that until now."

Takamasa grinned. "Guess it's just me. You'll understand someday, young man."

"Now you're starting to sound like Sophie," Yamato narrowed his eyes; they felt sore from seeing the sight of the scriptwriter in front of him. "Friends are nice and all, but sometimes, it's a little disturbing to see what rubs off from one friend on to the other."

Takamasa frowned in disappointment. "You just don't understand the kind of friendship writers and authors have with one another, Yamato. That's why you think it's a turn off."

"I don't even _want_ to understand the point of your friendships with other writers," Yamato retorted exhaustedly. His eyebrows furrowed and he sure wasn't going to listen any further before leaving.

Around the same time, Mashiro had gone outside the apartment she and Yamato were living in, and was wandering around, glancing from side to side as she walked further ahead. She searched around for a few more seconds before ending up in front of a large building. The entranceway was that of a school's and she stepped forward through it, staring at the academy while blinking at the sight of the large structure it had.


	6. Episode 6

A Married Couple's Dispute

Standing in front of Mashiro several feet apart—yards even—was a large building. It beheld the image of a prestigious academy, and it was indeed the very all-girls high school Yamato was currently teaching at. Yet, without any known directions, Mashiro had wandered aimlessly to where she was. A peculiar feeling had pulled her towards the school that was full of excellence—a feeling Mashiro was not certain of, despite being right there on the campus.

That was when an unknown presence was behind Mashiro. The voice belonging to whoever was with the fawn-haired girl came shortly after.

"Oh?" someone spoke. It seemed to be the voice of an older individual. "Young lady, what brings you here? Are you looking for someone?"

Hearing the person's voice behind her caused Mashiro to turn around. She blinked as she took a look at who was with her. "? Who are you?"

A kind smile spread across an elder man's face. He was wearing a brown suit, but nonetheless, had the appearance of a warm-hearted person. "Forgive me for the sudden surprise I may or may not have given you. I am the principal of the all-girls academy here. My name is Okishima. Unfortunately, I cannot give you my given name, but if I may ask, what is yours?"

Mashiro's eyes widened like that of an innocent child. "Um. Well… My name is Mashiro Kougami. I carried the surname name of the Tsuneha family before marrying my husband who works here as a physics teacher. I'm sure you know who he is, but I am Yamato's wife."

"I see. So you are Mr. Kougami's wife," the man named Okishima noted. "Well, if you weren't surprised by my presence, I must say, I myself was a bit taken back by what I had heard from you, Mrs. Kougami. I had not expected someone who looks so young and pretty to be married to a fine new teacher such as Mr. Kougami. Why don't you and I sit down on the bench over there? Surely, you might not like to stand around like this. It becomes somewhat of a tiring pain after a while."

Mashiro continued to glance at the principal. "Oh. Yes. I understand. Please pardon my lack of consideration, Okishima-san. I don't really know many people in this city since I arrived not too long ago from Shinjuku."

Another pleasant smile formed on the principal's face as he closed his eyes delightfully. "Then, let us go and chat a bit more. If I had known Mr. Kougami was married to someone from outside the city, I would have been more welcoming to him at the celebration party for his arrival." He walked towards the bench that was mentioned and sat down; Mashiro followed and sat on the seat next to him on his right. "On the contrary, I am glad he was hired to be one of our own here, along with the fact he married a kind young woman. I am positive that you are the one who has kept his spirits up, Mrs. Kougami. After all, the staff as well as the students, admire him very much. They respect his ideas and teaching methods as Mr. Kougami is a splendid instructor at the academy."

A smile appeared on Mashiro's face. Then, she lowered her head a bit, looking down at her lap. "I don't know if I'm truly the one who enables Yamato to do well at work, but I want to be support him as much as I can because we're husband and wife. In fact, I…" Her eyes gave a faint descent, displaying a tiny bit of sadness or perhaps even a fraction of what appeared to be insecurity on her part. "…I wonder what Yamato himself considers me to be. We may be a married couple, but I truly feel as if I can't get pass a wall that Yamato puts around to separate himself from me; but it isn't only my entire being he distances himself from. I can tell he does this to everyone else as well. He has plenty of hidden facts not even I can reach. However, I still want to be there for him, despite the possibility of being rejected from my husband. I love Yamato with all my heart. It might be strange to you, Okishima-san, but I fell in love with Yamato without knowing very much about him before ever meeting him. I knew only his name along with small details about him and his situation, but I still harbored romantic emotions for him."

Without a doubt, Mashiro's sincerity was clear to the principal of the all-girls school. Of course, he was happy to hear the fawn-haired girl's true feelings for his staff member.

_He may be a stranger to me, but he's still Yamato's father, _Mashiro thought to herself. _I have to wonder if he truly had no remorse for Yamato's mother and if he abandoned her and Yamato. He doesn't seem to be the type of man who would do that to the woman he loved, though. Without fail, I must find out for certain what the truth holds within for Yamato's sake._

After listening to Mashiro's side, the principal smiled tenderly. "Thank you for worrying about Mr. Kougami. Hearing your spoken feelings made me remember my one and only past love, Mrs. Kougami. You see, there was a woman I fell in love with years ago when I was teaching at this school. She was a student of mine, yet I still held romantic feelings for her, and she in turn, reciprocated those feelings. We soon started to see one another as often as we could in secret since our relationship as a student and teacher was forbidden back then, just as it is today." His peaceful expression deflated as he added the next segments to his past experience. "A few days before she was about to graduate, however, she stopped showing up at school… and disappeared from my life."

Mashiro's eyes widened when she heard the last sentence. "Eh? She disappeared…?"

Then, her eyes lowered with a serious expression. _Does that mean… Yamato's mother…_

"Yes," the principal confirmed sadly. "I searched everywhere for her, even after the day she was supposed to graduate. We could finally be together without any worries. Yet," he paused, and his expression became more depressed than it was before. Still, he continued to tell his story, "we could not spend the rest of our lives with one another. I went to visit her parents and asked them to permit me to see her, but they refused to let us meet. No matter what I tried to do, I was not able to tell her my true feelings again. I had intended to propose to and marry her the day she was to graduate, but… the opportunity never occurred for us. Years later, I found out the reason she had left my life." As Mashiro kept listening to the principal's love life, she could comprehend what she was about to hear next, and she was completely accurate when he added the next details. "After she was certain of her pregnancy with our child, she decided to pull herself away from the school… and from seeing me ever again…" The next thing that took place was the anguish and sorrowful frustration which appeared on Okishima's face. "All I truly wanted was to be together with the woman I loved. She became pregnant because of me and gave birth to a baby boy, but I did not have a chance to meet either one of them—I could not even find them no matter how hard I looked! But… No matter how many days, weeks, months, or even years pass by, I can only hope for the day when I can meet them, Mrs. Kougami." He confessed his earnest desires and stared off into the sight in front of him with Mashiro and smiled. "If it is to be… I truly wish for the day to arrive in front of my eyes so that I can keep believing in a brighter and happier future for the three of us. And when that day comes, I will not have to worry as much as I do today, because I will be able to move on with the two of them, and live with my family."

Mashiro glanced down before looking in the same direction as the principal. "I see. Okishima-san, as I am sure you wish to tell them many things, I also have the desire to tell Yamato and my family the many thoughts I have kept from them. Furthermore, I would like to be able to reconcile with them, just like you do. Right now, I cannot. To be honest, there is a feeling of anxiety which resides in my heart because I do not remember much about myself, and there is the fact that I want to know more about Yamato, as well as my past. Due to the wall dividing Yamato from everyone around himself, I will not be able to get past it without prying into his life, something I have just done. I know it will put a dent in our relationship, but I want him to understand that what he believes to be the truth about his family background is not a hundred percent what it seems to be in his mind." A small smile appeared on Mashiro's face. "In fact, I'll ascertain the truth myself. After all, I can be positive at this very moment of it. What Yamato holds to be true is not the exact story. He hasn't seen the other side to it yet, and because of that, he already has his own judgment towards the half he's heard. That's why," she stood up and faced Yamato's biological father with a confident and assuring expression, "I won't allow him to continue running away from reality, even if it tears us apart from each other. I'll push the entire truth onto him no matter what, so please wait for him to come to terms with everything, Okishima-san."

Although he did not understand the meaning of Mashiro's words, the principal looked at Mashiro and smiled kindly. "Yes. I'll wait. When things are finally settled, I'll be here to see you two. Take care, Mrs. Kougami."

Mashiro waved before her departure with the principal. As she began to make her way back to the apartment she shared with Yamato, she felt a sense of warmth budding within her. It was something she thought of as a good omen, and it gave her a sensation of relief. Then, she paused. As soon as she did, her expression turned around, replacing her smile with a frown.

_…Huh? _She thought. _What's this? Why do I feel as though something terrible will happen because of my desire to regain my lost memories after telling Yamato the truth? Don't tell me… _Her eyes did not dare to raise themselves any further, and had gone the other direction, rather than ascending. _No. I can't think that way, not at a time like this. Yamato and I have finally reached the point of becoming closer to on another now that we know a bit about our families, but… If I remember everything… will it lead the two of us to a bad ending? Or, will it be the beginning of something else? Although I want to know the answer to my questions, I…_

Mashiro shook her head and was getting closer to the apartment. Before she knew it, she was already at the front of the steps. All she had to do was walk up the stairs and enter the small home. Though unlike the days prior to that moment, the fawn-haired girl was unsure if she could stand being in the same place as her husband without causing a disturbance in their married life. Perhaps one would take place, or perhaps not. At any rate, Mashiro could not bear to climb any further unless her mind came to a decision.

And it did.

Shortly after her fist clenched itself and let go.

The second that followed her action displayed Mashiro moving up the set of stairs as fast as her feet could allow her in a civilized manner. It was not like she was running away as she was not making a run for her life, nor was she trying to sprint or dash towards something with full force. Mashiro was facing her fears with whatever she felt was the right thing to do as a housewife—and a wife nonetheless. How could she not at least attempt? She was married to a man who saved her from being alone! The fact was more than true enough to give her a push forward. Despite what her past may have been, Mashiro knew that it did not matter to Yamato. She was, without a doubt, his one and only wife. Even _Yamato_ knew that!

Then, as Mashiro reached for the doorknob with her left hand, Yamato had opened it, surprising the both of them simultaneously.

"Mashiro?!" Yamato exclaimed when he saw the fawn-haired girl standing in front of him.

At the same time, Mashiro had also called out the auburn-haired man's name. "Yamato?!"

Struck with astonishment, the two spouses could not believe the other one was right there. They were both facing one another with beams that locked their eyes together. It was not long before their silent states broke.

"U-Um…" Mashiro began nervously. The courage she had vanished as a breeze filled with heat rose to her cheeks. "C-Can I come in? I was about to open the door since I just came back."

Mashiro's words snapped Yamato out of what would have been a trance. Had another moment or so pass by, he might have been mesmerized by his wife's beauty. "…Oh. Uh, sure. Come on in. I was just about to go look for you. You had me kinda worried when I returned."

Mashiro nodded and fidgeted, walking into the apartment and taking her shoes off, leaving them in a neat fashion. "U-Un. Arigato." Without looking at Yamato, she continued to speak. "Anyway, I'm back. I wasn't sure where you went after breakfast this morning, but it must have been important for you to leave without telling me anything about it."

Yamato blinked quizzically after closing the door. "? Mashiro? Are you okay?" He turned around, concerned for his wife. "Did something happen, or was it because I was vague about where I was going this morning? If you're mad about it, I'll—"

"Don't apologize." It was now Mashiro's turn to face her husband. With a sad expression on her face, she added, "I… I should be the one to apologize to you, Yamato. I also went out on my own, but… it wasn't as if I left the apartment intentionally. I just felt drawn to go outside." She gazed into Yamato's eyes with a deep resolve soon after the first part. "However, I want you to understand. There are some things you need to hear, and you probably won't like what I'm about to tell you, but it's because I truly believe that my words will make a difference for you. So, please… Don't run away."

Although he felt like something had struck him, Yamato didn't know what Mashiro meant. "Wait, Mashiro. I need to ask you: What's going on? Why are you saying this for, all of a sudden? I mean, it's not like I'm trying to pry much, but I'd like to know what you mean by that last part. Running away? I'm not running from anything; I'm just—"

Yamato was quickly interrupted in an instant.

"Yes, you are!" Mashiro shouted with a seemingly angered tone of voice and look. "You may not think you're running away, but it's the truth!" The fawn-haired girl's eyes lowered with shaking frustration as she tried her best to contain her disapproval, or perhaps her faint rage and exhaustion from pouring out so much. "Yamato, you…" She looked up with a direct stare at her husband. "You don't know everything about your mother and father's past, so don't act like you do! What you've already based your judgment on is incorrect, and it's just wrong of you to accuse your father of being a heartless person towards his family! You don't know how he truly feels about your mother and about you, but I've found out the information you need to hear. Your father… Today, I happened to meet your father. As I have said, it wasn't intentional on my part to, but I did. And I also found out his position as the principal of the school you work for."

Yamato's eyes widened. "What? You met… my father? Mashiro, how could…"

"Listen to me, will you?" Mashiro pleaded in a calm manner. "Despite what you told me about him before, he didn't appear to be a bad man. In fact, he was kind. He even revealed his past with me, and—"

"So you decided to spend your free time hearing his side of the story?" Yamato asked firmly. He wasn't satisfied by Mashiro's words and couldn't help but cut her off, just like she did to him a few moments ago. "Mashiro, you don't know the first thing about the principal. You don't know his true nature at all, and yet you still wanted to hear him out on a set of lies he's spurred to you?" His tone began to give itself a raise. "You're innocent, but he's not. The man who's also my father doesn't even know that I'm his son, and I know for a fact that he doesn't care about me! He didn't give a damn care to come visit me or my mom all these years, so it goes without saying that he's just an insignificant bastard who never truly loved my mother because he chose to be ignorant to the both of us this whole time! He's never thought about anything and anyone but himself, and that won't ever change. Don't you know that, Mashiro?! He's nothing but a horrible excuse for a man, lover, and father, and that's the truth!"

When she heard Yamato's harsh attitude towards his father, Mashiro's wrath let loose. "How can you say that about Okishima-san so easily?!" Her eyebrows pointed down, and her mood, as well as her voice became filled with her infuriated state. "I was there sitting next to him and listening to him this afternoon! I _heard_ what he had been keeping to himself all these years, and he's not the type of person you think he is, Yamato! He's the complete opposite of your stupid assumptions, not what you're accusing him of! Stop being such a coward and open your eyes to reality! You say he doesn't care, but it's actually you who doesn't give a damn care in the world to find out for yourself what took place between your parents! You're the one who's always being half-hearted and you're still being a jackass towards him! If you really loved your mother, you should've had more faith in her. But you didn't and it's because you turned your back on her feelings that you've walked down the wrong path. That's why you decided to hate your father with everything you have, Yamato! You didn't see the brighter side to her death due to your abandonment to yourself, which is the reason you are who you are now!"

"What do you even know about me?!" the auburn-haired man retorted. Yamato's own anger was showing and it directed on to Mashiro. "I didn't leave my mother's hopes and feelings to have them crushed! I simply wanted to get closer to my father because he wasn't there for her when she was alone and pregnant with me, that's all! After waiting for him and believing he would come see us my entire life, he never showed up! Not even once! And you're saying something that doesn't even make sense! Who do you think you are, trying to stick up for someone you just met?! You're my wife, aren't you?! You're supposed to believe in me no matter what, Mashiro! It shouldn't matter what anyone else says about him because he's lying to you! It's ridiculous of you to take his side, instead of mine! I'm the one who took you in when no one else did. I married you for your sake. If it hadn't been for me, you would have been all by yourself. Do you honestly think anyone else would have done what I did? My father didn't do any of that for my mother, but I did them for you, Mashiro. Because I needed you to keep my position at the academy, I asked Kuni for a wife." The next thing that occurred was a confession of truth on Yamato's side of his elaboration. "At first, I forgot to clarify with him that I only wanted to have a fake marriage and pretend to be in love with you in order to get closer to my dad. But now, I—"

"Stop." Mashiro's eyes had widened. Her mind was already full of shock at what she heard come out of Yamato's mouth. "You… You didn't actually want to marry me when you spoke to Kun Kun before…? You only agreed to take me into your apartment for your own benefit?"

Yamato was now perplexed by Mashiro's inquiries. "Yeah, that's right. What's wrong about that? My job requires me be married if I want to maintain it, so I don't mind if I have to sacrifice being in love for it. As long as I can get near my father and learn more about him to find out his true feelings, I won't have to regret anything."

As Mashiro's head dropped from her previous confrontation, her eyes were shadowed and hidden with a dark overhead. "…Is that what you should be saying about your actions…?"

Yamato, oblivious to the situation he and his wife were in, did not comprehend the meaning and emotions behind the fawn-haired girl's demeanor. "Huh? Mashiro?"

It was a bad call to be as dense as the auburn-haired man was. Indeed. It was something that only brought danger to both of the spouses. Because… All of a sudden, the stir overflowing within Mashiro's mind let itself loose. And it was not a good thing.

"Even though you used me to ensure your continuous career, you shouldn't have attempted to trample over your father like that!" Mashiro yelled, enraged by Yamato's lack of human decency towards others. She was now facing him like she did before, giving a boost to her portion of the dispute. "What you did was outright wrong and selfish and I can understand that, but you don't have the privilege to attempt your role in your plan to scam the person your mother loved with all her heart. Rather, you shouldn't even think about harming Okishima-san in any way, whether it's to instigate the truth out of him or to ruin his reputation. For a man who says his hates his father for leaving his mother, you would think some more research could've brought out the reality of it all." Mashiro kept on berating her husband with a severe behavior towards said man. "Sadly in your case, Yamato, you don't have the will to do anything to find out about what actually happened between your parents. On the other hand, it shows how much of a coward you are when facing your past and present the split second before every part of them becomes the future." Then, her entire being began to tremble, and tears formed in her eyes. "You may have stolen my heart even after I met you, but you'll never be able to redeem your sin for doing so. I hate what you did to me; however, what I hate most about you is the fact you remained ignorant to everyone around you—especially your father." The tears on Mashiro's face did not stop themselves from falling, and there were more surfacing. Shortly afterward, she ran past the auburn-haired man, opened their door, and ran outside, closing the piece of tall wood behind her.

The second the door closed behind him, Yamato had realized the fault he had started—the very flaws which destroyed his relationship with Mashiro that day. And he was all to blame for hurting the young woman he married, along with those who had supported him wholeheartedly throughout his life and his struggles. But most of all, his bond with his wife shattered into many glass fragments because of what he had done.

Several minutes had passed by and became hours into the night. Mashiro was sitting outside on the streets with her knees pulled close to her chest. She didn't want to look at her surrounding due to her heartbroken state so her forehead was on the surface of her thighs, near her kneecaps. While her face was hidden from sight, there were those who could most likely tell who she was by her appearance and physical characteristics.

Then, a voice called out to her.

"Tsuneha-san?" the voice asked.

It sounded like a young man's, perhaps a teenage boy in high school, or a college student. Whoever it was knew Mashiro and of course, she also knew who it was by her next reaction.

Mashiro steadily looked up and turned to her left at the direction of the male voice she heard. A mysterious expression appeared on her visage and the only word that came out of her mouth was, "Huh?"

Maybe, just maybe, she had forgotten who the person was, but her body's response did not.

**Author's Note**

**I apologize for not updating in the past few months, but I have had a lot of things keeping me busy including schoolwork, club activities, spending time with my family, etc. However, I did try to think about what to add to **_**My Not-so-Forged Wedding**_** lately and I finished planning the rest of the plot. I'm still going to be working on the rest of the chapters, of course. It'll just take some more time. If you guys have any questions, please ask. However, I will not answer any questions that inquire about spoilers. It's also for reader's sake because of this, so please be polite about stuff like that.**


	7. Episode 7

An Emergency Becomes a Problem

The day after Yamato and Mashiro's dispute, Yamato wasn't like himself. Well, his usual self, that was. Ever since Mashiro left, he had felt as though something inside of him had vanished or in other words, "died." A sigh came out of the auburn-haired man's mouth. Yup. It just wasn't the same without Mashiro. The young woman who had the appearance of a never-aging high school girl was now out of his life. Of course, he had hoped that it would only be temporary as he lied on his bed for the first time since the day his wife came into his life. To be precise, they hadn't even been married for a long time, yet he did some heart-wrenching things to chase her out of the home they shared together. And he finally received a depression for his broken core.

Then out of nowhere, his home phone started to ring. He let it stay like that for a few seconds, but it only kept ringing. This signaled something that was _probably_ important due to the fact it wouldn't stop ringing. So, Yamato got out of bed (although he wasn't too happy about it), and sped his pace up a teensy bit to the living room where the ringing came from. He went to the phone and picked it up as soon as he got there.

"Hello?" he answered in his normal voice. He wasn't sure who called him, but it must have been someone he knew or maybe an acquaintance of his.

"Hey, Yamato!" the person on the other end beamed. It was a given right then and there that it was Kunihiko who was calling the auburn-haired physics teacher. "How've you been doing with Mashiro lately?"

Hearing Mashiro's name was what gave Yamato a push to reply to the bar owner's harmless question. "Kuni… Please help me." Yamato's calm nature had turned into a plea. "I don't know what to do anymore…"

"Yamato? What's wrong?" asked in a worried manner. He didn't understand what Yamato went through yet, but he still cared enough to give a query. "If there's something I can do to help, I need you to tell me."

Yamato's voice continued to break. "I… I got into a fight with Mashiro yesterday. It was over something I kept from her, but in the end, Mashiro left and hasn't come back to the apartment since then." His eyes were filled with emotions and a determination to see Mashiro again. "Please help me find her, Kuni. I… I did something I shouldn't have, but I want to make everything right again. Even though she'll never forgive me for what I did, I want to be with Mashiro again."

Once he heard Yamato's resolve to make up with Mashiro, Kunihiko smiled. "I see. First, I'll need to gather everyone. But I'm requiring you to also take part in this, Yamato. If you truly want Mashiro to come back to your side, help me call the guys, along with Sophie and Airi. It shouldn't be much of a hassle since those two are living with their beloveds, so let's get to it and start the process right away."

Yamato nodded on his end of the conversation. "Yeah. Thanks, Kuni. I owe you a lot of for what you've been doing for me, but I hope I can repay you someday."

"Don't mention it, Yamato. It's because of you that I was able to do something for Mashiro in the first place, remember?" the purple-haired man reminded the former. "If it hadn't been for your request to have someone pose as your wife, I might not have even thought of asking her to move in with you. But… I'm actually glad I did. I'm sure the two of you were truly meant to help each other, and I don't have a second thought about it. So, make sure you tell her your true feelings when you finally make up, Yamato. I want to see… what you can do for her as a man and as a husband."

Yamato's smile returned thanks to Kunihiko's encouragement and he felt as if everything was going to be okay. "Got it. Thanks again, Kuni. If it wasn't for you, I would never have met her."

_That's right, _he thought. _I was able to meet Mashiro because Kuni planned it out after I asked for someone to be my wife. He was devious enough to force me to get married to her, but if he wasn't there, none of this would have ever happened._

Soon enough, Yamato and Kunihiko ended their phone call, and began to gather their friends to help search for Mashiro and her whereabouts. They all looked everywhere and asked around for the married girl, but to no avail. Hours passed by and they still couldn't find Mashiro anywhere. It was already at night when the Long Island group was together inside the sports dining bar.

"Damn it," Yamato muttered. His voice was loud enough for everyone around him to hear. His hands were clasped on his lower thighs and knees and he was obviously frustrated that no one could find her. "Where could Mashiro be right now? She couldn't have gone too far, but she's not even within any clear distance of us."

Airi sighed. "There's no way Shiro could have left the city, though. She wouldn't try to do something like that without telling any one of us, especially Sophie for that matter."

"What, did you really think she would tell me everything about where she was going?" the turquoise-haired girl asked. "It's not exactly a guarantee that'll happen." He eyes narrowed as she stared directly at her high school rival. "Besides, that didn't even happen because Mashiro didn't say anything about what happened the night before. She must've been really upset about her argument with Yamato Kougami if there wasn't a message to anyone. It doesn't have to be one to me, but Mashiro's actions would've proven whether or not she would have told anyone about it. Anyway," she glanced at Yamato with folded arms, "what do you supposed we should do about Mashiro going missing, young man? I'm not asking you this to provoke you, but you're probably the only one who can truly fix things between you and Mashiro."

Yamato looked down with a conflicted expression. "I… I really don't know. With the fact that we haven't found Mashiro yet, I'm not really sure what we _can_ do."

"Aww, come on, Yamato!" Yuta shouted; it seemed enthusiastic in a way, like he was trying to cheer his friend up. "We can't just _give_ _up_ on Mashiro, so why don't we keep looking for her tomorrow? I'm sure we'll find her before you know it. There's still some hope, right?"

Takao frowned. "But when you think about it, we can't exactly take more than a few days off from work. If we still can't find her before then, what can we actually do?"

"Takao!" Airi reprimanded the lawyer. "That's no way to talk about this situation. Like Yuta said, we can't just give up on Shiro. If we do, doesn't that just mean that we never had faith in finding her in the first place?" She also put on a frown of her own and placed her left hand on her hip. "I'd hate it if we were to think of the worse-case scenario. There's no way of telling what can happen at a time like this to a dear friend, but I'd rather not believe in a bad ending."

"You're right," Takao commented apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Hmm…" Ren contemplated to himself about something.

At the same time, Takamasa had an uneasy feeling, but he tried to fight it. "You see stuff like this in written works by authors and scriptwriters like myself, but I can't believe this has actually taken place. But how do we get out of this mess, one may ask. Usually, the main characters search for clues, and we just basically did that this afternoon. So, our options are now limited. What to do…"

Suddenly, a door was opened and someone came in. Everyone immediately looked at whoever was standing near the entrance. At the sight of the person who had entered the bar, only Yuta, Sophie, and Airi were the ones whose eyes were widened, representing their shock or surprise. The one they were staring at was a girl around the girls' (and Ren's) age. She had green, near waist-length hair and brown eyes, and was adorning a nice smile on her face as she looked at everyone.

"Lia?!" the three looking back at the girl immensely blurted out.

Lia, in turn, kept smiling and gave an eye smile before opening her eyes. "Hi, guys! I'm finally here, but…" She took a glance around before frowning in a stern manner. "Where's Mashiro?" Even her voice sounded alert/on guard, having taken a turn for better or for worse. Seeing everyone in the room alter their expressions with a pessimistic atmosphere to her question, Lia swiftly understood that Mashiro wasn't with them for a reason. "So I see. Then," she suggested, looking over in Sophie's direction, "why don't you contact your family, Sophie? At this rate, we won't be able to find Mashiro without some extra help. In fact, we'll most likely need it, and they'll probably be able to help us. So, please. We have to do whatever it takes to get her back safe and sound. I know you might not like the thought of seeing them at a time like this, but we have to do something so we don't have any regrets in the end."

Lia's pleading gaze and words were more than enough to convince the mangaka of the possibility the situation may become very dire if nothing was done. Sophie looked down at her lap for a few seconds and her emotions from within quivered for a bit before she calmed down. Then, she nodded silently and glanced back at her green-haired friend. "I understand. I'll contact Cheryl right away." She took out her cell phone from her messenger bag and flipped it open, finding the number of Cheryl Kanzaki within less than half a minute, and pressed the call button. Afterward, she placed the cell phone near her right ear and began to speak to the female on the other end of the call. "Hello? Cheryl? As you already know from the sound of my voice, it's me. Yeah, your little sister. Anyway, there's something I need you to do. Well, it's about Mashiro. Can you send one of the maids, along with a butler, to find information about where she is?" Sophie nodded as she listened. "Un. Un. Alright. I'll leave it to you. Oh, and I'll be bringing several guests with me as well, so don't be surprised. Huh?" She glanced at Ren before turning her back and resuming her phone call. "Yeah, I'm bringing Ren with me." Right after she mentioned taking Ren along, something Cheryl said to Sophie made her blush deeply and in a sense, passionately. "What are you saying? It's only natural in my case, isn't it? Anyway, just get to it already before I blow up in your face for real, Cheryl." She hurriedly ended the phone call and closed the flip phone in her right hand. She let out a sigh and turned around, facing the others. "Looks like we'll be set in a few. Cheryl's going to allow us the passage to enter the estate."

Yuta blinked. "Who's Cheryl, by the way? She sounds like an important person in your family."

"I guess you could call her that," Sophie replied. "But before I let you know who she is in relation to me, I'd rather have you all go with me to the Kanzaki home once preparations are completed. I just asked her for permission not only to find Mashiro, but to allow us to speak with her privately. Well, not that I said anything over my cell phone about it, but it was that she wanted to see if I would like us to meet with her."

This certainly caught Yamato's attention as he listened with the others. "…!" Then, he finally spoke up after waiting on the turquoise-haired girl to finish. "Hey." Once the word came out of the auburn-haired man's mouth, Sophie responded with a, "Yes?," and waited on Yamato, who answered back. "Uh… How should I say this? Well. Will this Cheryl person be able to find Mashiro? I mean, it seemed like a big deal or even something significant if you had to call her. If she can't, then…" Yamato trailed off, troubled by the impending emotions he felt if that were to be true.

Sophie's mouth became a thin line when she saw the expression Yamato was adorning. But. She was serious like always. "Sometimes, you have to believe in another person in order to bring back a sense of relief. For now, we just have to place our trust in Cheryl. Although I don't particularly like depending on my own family, I don't want to think Mashiro is completely out of our reach. That's why, I have to hope that things will get better. Isn't that the same for you, Yamato Kougami?"

"…" Yamato didn't look at Sophie, but he was still having problems deciding what to do due to the motion of his eyes. "Can I… really trust someone I don't know to find my wife? If all else fails and Mashiro doesn't come back to us, then—"

"Yamato, stop trying to comeback every chance of finding Mashiro and just take what you can," Kunihiko advised Yamato as he appeared from the back side of his sports dining bar. "It's probably the only option we can take, so don't be so stubborn about everything, okay?"

Yamato looked up. "Kuni…" The moment he saw his baseball coach standing there, he knew the older man was correct.

"By the way," Takamasa brought up, "where have you been this whole time? You just went to the door at the back and entered it without coming back until now."

Takao's eyes widened in realization to the scriptwriter's words. "That's right. You were gone for a while, I didn't even notice due to us chatting among ourselves."

"Uh, Takao," Yuta pointed out, "don't you mean 'discussing serious matters with each other' instead? Because… We were practically doing that for the time being until Kuni showed up."

Takao laughed nervously. "Oh, uh, yeah. I meant just that. Thanks, Yuta."

Yuta, Takamasa and Airi sweat-dropped. "No, you didn't."

"Well, to answer Saeki's question, I was in the back getting the underground tunnel that leads to the village the Kanzaki estate ready" Kunihiko replied. "After all, you're all going there, aren't you?"

"Heh?" was the reply that came out of Sophie's mouth. "How did you know we were planning on going there?"

The purple-haired man smiled casually while glancing at the turquoise-haired girl. "Well, I had a gut feeling we might need to meet up with your family, so I was making sure the tunnel was set for the long walk. And boy," he beamed, "it sure is one heck of a walk there!" Kunihiko let out a laugh. "Ahaha! I wonder how long it took me to go back and forth down there! And in one journey, too!" Hearing his comments made everyone but Sophie and Lia sweat-drop, earning an "Ugh…" from them. Then, the IT company CEO continued. "Anyway, that wasn't just all I was doing. I had to remove and renew the talismans inside, and place another set inside so that outsiders couldn't go in without permission. It took a while, but I finally had everything finished in time for our walkthrough. Since our priority is to get Mashiro back, I also figured that we were likely to be in need of meeting up with the Kanzaki's." His expression shifted into an unyielding one, giving a large hint towards 'drastic measures' while facing the group of youths in front of him. "Now, let us make our way. To the Kanzaki estate."

Everyone nodded and those who were sitting down in a seat (excluding Lia and Kunihiko from both) stood up and made their way to the door that awaited them. One by one, Kunihiko allowed each and every one of them to walk downstairs from the backdoor. They made their way down after the bar owner followed after and saw a large passage at the bottom of the stairs, surprising or perhaps amazing almost everyone who saw the expanded tunnel. There were torches hung on both sides every few feet or so, lighting every part of the road in front.

"Wow," Lia breathed with great awe. "I would have never expected an underground tunnel to be right here of all places. I though only Shinjuku had one in unknown areas, but this is incredible."

Sophie nodded once more. "I knew there was one somewhere here due to a strong presence I felt when I first arrived, but I wouldn't have thought it would be here myself. Maa, we could've also gone to the forest in the mountains and gone down from there, but that would have taken much more time. It's also getting late outside, so that would have been a danger to us. Despite that, I'm glad you came, Lia. If you hadn't been here, I wouldn't have called Cheryl."

Lia shook her head. "I only did what I believed was the right thing to do in that situation. Still, I think the reason why this tunnel was built is because your family actually cares about you, Sophie. They've probably been worried about you this whole time since you haven't been to the main household in a long time, so if you should ever need to find your way back, you can walk through the passage and make it back without too much trouble."

Sophie's eyes lowered, appearing simultaneously with her frown. "I don't really think that's true. In their case, they only need to check up on me and keep me away from the estate. With a family like mine, there's no need for two heirs, but one. That's their main purpose anyhow. My presence at the Kanzaki home is a burden to them because I'm the younger one of the two, which is also why it would be better for them if they discarded me or kept me away from being anywhere near them."

Ren glanced at his fiancée and kept silent as he and everyone else made their way through the passageway. "…" It was as if he knew what was going on in Sophie's mind, but did not want to tell anyone else about it. It was also like a secret for those two, despite what the turquoise-haired girl said aloud.

Yamato and the others on the other hand were puzzled by the conversation between Sophie and Lia, but didn't say anything about it. Of course, the auburn-haired man was the most confused by what had taken place. Shortly afterward, Sophie walked to the front and announced, "I'll lead you all there. Just stay behind me."

_It's better if someone like me leads them there, _she thought. _I _am_ a member of the Kanzaki family, after all. That's something I can't change, but at least I'll be able to do something before finding out the results together with the group._

"…?" Yamato blinked. He was still perplexed but permitted the girl who was younger than him to go ahead with her decision.

The rest of the group kept on with their so-called "expedition" and made their way towards the Kanzaki residence behind Sophie. It was only a bit farther until they finally reached their destination.

"Here we are," Sophie informed. She stopped in her tracks and right in front of everyone was a Japanese-style mansion attached to numerous areas of land. There was a wooden gate in front but also a small bell in place of a doorbell.

"…! This is your family's home?!" Yamato exclaimed, astonished by the size of the estate. The amount of space it took up was also something to behold.

"Woah," Yuta breathed. He was amazed by the mansion which couldn't be helped in many people's cases. "This is too awesome to be a dream… right?"

Lia nodded, her composure calm and observant. "Yeah. But remember, we mustn't be like our usual selves in front of anyone here. Rather, you all need to make sure not to be rude or obnoxious towards them. Unlike you and your friends, Yuta, Sophie and I are used to being prepared for any discussions and situations. As for Airi, she's… _somewhat_ capable of being stern and silent, too, seeing as she's attended Seishin in her last year of high school with us. Anyway, try to be as calm and composed as you can."

Hearing what the green-haired girl mentioned about her, Airi was offended and nerved. "Hey. That's pretty rude, even if it's true, Lia. I can at least be quiet until someone's done talking, you know."

"Yes, I know," Lia acknowledged, "But it's not going to be forever since we're here to see Cheryl."

Just then, Sophie took hold of the string attached to the bell and swung it, letting the bell's sound ring. Soon, the gate opened and on the other side of it was a young who looked exactly like Sophie, but was wearing a light green kimono. She also had a stoic expression on her face and glanced at the visitors waiting outside.

"Haa?!" Yuta shouted as he and the others saw the person who was identical in appearance to Sophie.

"…!" Yamato's eyes widened.

"…" Takamasa, Airi, Takao and Lia were also surprised at seeing another girl who looked like the mangaka.

Ren, Sophie, and Kunihiko, however, were unaffected by the young woman's appearance. Ren gave a bow with his head in respect to her and greeted the one who opened the door to the Kanzaki residence.

"It's been a while, Cheryl," he said nonchalantly. "How have you been faring since our last meeting?"

The girl donning the kimono glanced at Ren and replied. "Yes, it has been quite some time since we last saw one another. I have been doing well here; have you been doing well yourself, Ren?" Then, she glanced at Sophie who was right in front of her view. "You as well, Sophie. On the contrary, it seems from our conversation earlier that you were doing fine this whole time, but since Mashiro has gone missing, the odds don't seem to be in your favor."

Ren only gave a slight nod, indicating he was doing fine. "…"

Cheryl let out a sigh before saying, "Well, why don't you two and you friends follow me inside? Kunihiko-sama, if you don't mind closing the door, I would highly appreciate it." Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and strolled towards the inner rooms of the mansion.

Kunihiko smiled and beckoned for everyone else to walk inside after Ren and Sophie. There wasn't much of a choice for any of them so they had to oblige and be obedient. Once everyone else was inside the estate, Kunihiko followed and pushed a button that was nearby. It only was a matter of time before the moment of truth, but they had to be patient, as well.

Inside one of the many rooms of the household, Cheryl sat across the Long Island group. She took a look at each and every person in the room with her and asked, "Before we start the discussion, would any of you care to inquire anything of me?"

"Um…" Airi frowned with a muddled expression on her face. "How exactly are you and Sophie related? You two seem… different from each other, yet you both look a lot alike. Are you… sisters of any kind? Like blood related in any sort of way, whether you share on biological parent or both."

As Cheryl stared at Airi, her shoulders slumped naturally. "I'll have… _Sophie_ answer that one. She _is_ a member of the family, after all. It's a part of her duty to obey her elders in the family at times when she's back at the main house as a descendant of the Kanzaki family, you can say."

Sophie sighed before revealing anything to the others. Though, she did not turn around. "Cheryl and I are identical not only in appearance, but in our genetic DNA. Seeing as you're probably a bit too shocked at seeing her, Airi Hirabayashi, you might have become dumbfounded enough to increase your dense portion of your personality by more than seventy-five percent; for example, it might have been a whooping ninety-nine percent updated from what occurred not moments ago. But to sum it all up, the two of us are twins."

"What?!" the light purple-haired girl shouted. Her knees were now touching the tatami mats and so were the palm of her hands.

Sophie held her right hand up and glanced at Airi before turning around to face everyone else in the room. "Let me finish the rest of my explanation. Not only are the two of us twins, we are also identical to one another. Identical twins—should I say to bring you out of you obliviousness—get it? We were both born from the same parents, so no, we're not half-sisters in any way, you idiot. Anyway, Cheryl is the older twin sister and I am the younger one. We're three minutes apart in age, but it doesn't change the fact that we're two separate beings."

"…" Airi was in an irritated state due to Sophie's usual insults towards her but did not thrash at the turquoise-haired girl for the sake of keeping her image's sanity.

Yuta had been staring at Airi and remained silent after witnessing her disordered interrogation and reactions earlier. The next thing he knew was that he was sweat-dropping a few seconds later.

_Come on, Airi! _He thought in slight frustration. _Couldn't you tell they were twins when you first saw Cheryl? Geez… _His eyes were already narrowed at the dismay of one of his female friends' own thick-headed senselessness. Then, he sighed, closing his eyes before opening them. _It's not like it was _that_ difficult to comprehend the concept, but man, I never thought Airi's rivalry with Sophie made her _this_ foolish. Or, maybe she was too appalled by seeing Cheryl when the door to the estate was opened to regain her momentum. Either way, I guess we all have to wait for her smart traits to come back before she can adjust to the idea._

Cheryl, who had also been watching the conversation between her sister and Airi, glanced from her latter self to the light purple-haired girl, then returned her focus to her one and only sibling. "Sophie, about what we spoke over the phone earlier. I must ask you: What will you do once word about Mashiro has been located? Surely, you must have a plan that you can carry out once we know."

Sophie looked down at the tatami mat. "Well… Instead of considering what to do, I think it'd be best to just go with the flow and get to Mashiro in order to save her. Looking back at how Mashiro was during our high school days, there were times when she did whatever she could to finish a mission, no matter how difficult they may have been. In the end, all that truly mattered to her and everyone else was protecting Seishin Academy and the rest of the country." A fond smile appeared on the younger twin's face as she resumed to recounting her memories of her best friend. "Mashiro would always go forward without hesitation. That was the sort of person she was before losing her memories, and I loved that side of her. I still love her, even today, because she's my best friend. She's someone who's irreplaceable, Cheryl, and I can't give her up despite what others might believe."

Sophie's feelings towards Mashiro as a very close and trusting friend touched Cheryl's core when she saw how much her younger sister treasured the fawn-haired girl. "Sophie… I…"

Right after that, a knock was on the outside of the door. "Cheryl-sama, I have brought you news of Miss Mashiro." The person who spoke was a male servant waiting as part of his duty to serve and obey his master. "It is an important matter that I must inform you of right away."

Cheryl glanced to her right and nodded. Then, she stood up and walked to the door, sliding it opening with her right hand. She stepped out of the discussion room and closed the door with her left this time. "What is it?" she questioned a bit anxiously, sensing an uneasy premonition of some sort. "If it is as important as you say it is, I must relay the word to Sophie and her friends. Their relief of knowing Mashiro's whereabouts and near-future actions, depend on what you need to tell me."

The butler leaned in closer to the heiress' right ear and whispered what he knew, shocking the elder of the turquoise-haired twins.

"What?" Cheryl uttered after hearing the trusted family worker's knowledge on Mashiro. "Are you certain of this?"

As he gazed down at Cheryl, his eyes told the truth. "Affirmative. Miss Mashiro and the others have confirmed it themselves, as it is no laughing matter. Their situation has grown far too dire in a short amount of time, and it is why they need Miss Mashiro to assist them, Cheryl-sama."

Cheryl frowned, understanding what the servant meant. "I see." She put her curled hand to the side of her face, pondering on what her butler announced to her. "So it's come to this. Nothing has truly been resolved between the two." She glanced at the male servant once more and said, "Thank you for your hard work. You may go now." The servant nodded and turned towards the opposite direction he was facing, going away and continuing to tend to the household. Cheryl walked back into the room and took her seat after reopening and reclosing the door. "As my agreement to Sophie, I will spread what I have learned from one of the servants of the residence. But first, I must warn you that what I was notified of was unanticipated from normal circumstances. Even so, are you all still willing to listen to what I have to say?"

"Well, if it's a serious subject," Ren began, "I'm positive every one of us is required to hear what you're about to tell us."

Yuta nodded. "Yeah. If it's about Mashiro, we're all open to find out about what's happened to her or where she is. As long as she's fine, we'll be ready to know anything you'll say."

"That's right," Takamasa spoke up. "She's our friend. Nothing can change that. Please, go on and let us know the information you've just acquired."

"Very well," the heiress accepted the responses and went on to explain what she found out. "Apparently, Mashiro and the other Guardians from Seishin Academy during their third year of school have joined together to fight against Rose Blade, a criminal organization that has been known to threaten the lives of many civilians, cities and towns within the country. Both of them have dealt with one another for several years, and Rose Blade's leader has recently declared war against the Seishin Guardians." Cheryl gazed at Sophie with immense emotion. "Sophie, you and your friends attended the academy and have fought with the same Guardians I am now speaking of to everyone here. The Seishin Guardians currently fighting against Rose Blade are those who graduated with you four years ago, do you remember? They have waiting a long time to find their former classmates, acquaintances, and friends. And now, they have finally found Mashiro, but not you and the other two in here. They need you, and they want to fight alongside with you again." She glanced down after telling her sister about her (Sophie's) former companions. "There is also something I must tell you regarding Mashiro's memories. It seems that she has regained her memories of her time at Seishin, but I do not know much about what she remembers and what she doesn't. Still," she looked at the group sternly, "the Guardians are waiting to see you and your friends before resuming their preparations for the war. I will write down the address, along with the directions you'll need, starting from Kunihiko-sama's dining bar, and give it to you." After that, she took out a sheet of paper and quill before writing the information down.

Several minutes later, the Long Island group arrived in what appeared to be a warehouse. However, they had taken another underground passage to get there, but it was an impressive the Seishin Guardians were able to build a fortress underneath the surface of the earth, specifically somewhere under the country of Japan's capital. It was also a feat no one in the group would have ever imagined, had Cheryl not told them about it after writing down the directions.

"This is spectacular," Kunihiko breathe, taking in the view. "Whoever was clever enough to plan this out was more of a genius than me."

Yamato's eyes widened as he walked in with the rest of the group. "I'll say! It's a large area, too. It makes me wonder if hundreds of people live here since Cheryl mentioned that the students who graduated with Sophie, Lia, and Airi are the same ones from back then."

Hearing what Yamato said made Yuta sweat-drop. "Man, you're weird, Yamato. Who thinks about stuff like that?"

"Excuse me?" Yamato replied in an irritated tone. "_You're_ the one who's weird, Yuta. Your jokes aren't even _funny_. What I think about is more logical than _them_."

"Geez. You're harsh, Yamato," Yuta commented. "Still, I don't think they would be able to live without resources here. We're underground, so humans like us have to get some fresh air every once in a while. We have _needs_, dude. But I guess they don't think about watching or doing the stuff we do all the time."

Takamasa was surprised. "Woah, that's pretty smart of you to say, Yuta! Hearing that made me think they probably don't watch dramas or TV for fun. Looks like they're just keeping an eye on Rose Blade's movements."

"I believe you may be correct, Saeki," Takao said in a calm voice. "Unlike them, we live a more peaceful life. They might have been fighting for peace and tranquility to secure a better way of living for us had they not been enrolled in Seishin years ago."

"That's right," a young man's voice called out. Shortly afterward, he came out from the dim lighting and exposed himself to the entire group as the light in the zone begin to brighten itself. He had brown hair and deep gray eyes, and was someone who could fit into the bishounen category of a manga, anime, video game, or even a visual novel. He wore a black battle outfit that resembled a military uniform of some kind, but had a blazer and wore a pair of pains that some may have thought of as a fancy attire, along with his shoes. In fact, he was all dress up and his beauty could not be rivaled by a member of the militia. "We do protect human kind in Japan from being extinct and endangered in any way. _That_, is our duty. No matter how much time has passed since our graduation from Seishin Academy, _we_ are still the Seishin Guardians, and we do whatever we can to stop Rose Blade from carrying out their deeds."

"Who are you?" Yutamato inquired instinctively. He put up a front since he didn't feel as though the young man could be trusted and was on his guard. "As long as I don't know who you are, I can't place my trust in you."

Airi's eyes suddenly widened as she realized who the young man was. "A-Anata wa…! (Y-You're…!)"

"Shuu!" Lia shouted in the same manner as her light purple-haired friend. She was also surprised to see him.

Shuu smiled at seeing the two girls. "It looks like you two are doing well, Hirabayashi-san, Kurumada-san. And also…" He glanced at Sophie as he kept smiling. "Kanzaki-san. You've arrived in time." Looking back at Yamato and the guys, he added, "Anyway, I should introduce myself. My name is Shuu Ohara, the commander of the Seishin Guardians." He was amused by Yamato's demeanor towards him and gave an eye smile for a brief second before opening his eyes. "It seems I'm not well-liked by the young man over here. Care to explain a bit about him?"

Without moving her head, Sophie glanced to her right at Yamato before looking straight at Shuu. "Sorry, that guy's too hot-blooded for his own good. To be precise, he's also a dumbstruck idiot who's too oblivious to realize that girls are sensitive, and I mean, Mashiro in particular. She's here, right?"

"Tsuneha-san?" Shuu answer inquisitively. "Yes, she's here. Just wait a moment and I'll—"

"Where is she?" Yamato growled at the brunet as though he were an enemy.

Like a cute young boy, Shuu's eyes widened innocently. "Huh? Like I said, just wait a bit and—"

"I don't care who you are, but I want to see Mashiro," the auburn-haired man ferociously said to the commander of the Seishin Guardians. "And I want to see her _right now_."

All of a sudden, a familiar female voice was heard. "And who are you to show such disrespect towards my officer?" The young woman the voice belonged to sped towards the Long Island group in a professional manner, wearing a similar outfit to the one she once adorned during her Seishin days. And that young woman was none other than…

"Mashiro?!" Yamato blurted out when he saw his wife's angry expression. Right in front of him and the others was Mashiro, and she didn't seem like she had before she arrived in the city above the underground spacing.

Shuu turned his head around slightly and glanced to his left. "Tsuneha-san… You're here. I thought you were busy in the back."

With a stern and severe expression, Mashiro replied. "I couldn't help it after hearing you were being verbally assaulted by the man over there, so I decided to stand up for you because you seemed to be having a bit of trouble fighting back."

Shuu smiled and said, "Well aren't _you_ the same as back then, Leader. But I appreciate the sentiment nonetheless."

"Likewise," the fawn-haired Seishin member relayed back. "I believe you're quite worthy myself, seeing as you've been doing this without me since graduation, Commander Shuu Ohara. Now…" She stared at Yamato with piercing honey eyes for his actions which were directed at Shuu. "Tell me. Who are you, and why are you here to see us? If you don't have anything to discuss with Shuu and I, you're wasting our time. We're about to go into battle, so make it quick." It was obvious she was wearing her wedding ring on a necklace over her outfit, but had no recollection of her time as an ordinary civilian with the Long Island group, especially with Yamato.

Yamato's eyes widened when he heard those words come out of Mashiro's mouth. It wasn't until then that he realized that Mashiro did not know who he was to her. Everyone else—even Sophie, Airi and Lia—were shocked to find out of the time and memories that were lost. Only the memories of Seishin Academy were returned to the Leader of the Seishin Guardians. Yamato's eyes fell to the floor as he hung his head low, saddened by his newly obtained knowledge of what had transpired since his fight with Mashiro.

"…Sorry," he apologized in a depressed tone of voice. "I apologize for the fuss I made, so I'll take my leave with everyone right now." He turned around and walked back to Long Island; the others glanced at Mashiro and Shuu, before following Yamato.

Back at Long Island, everyone was inside, still a bit confused over what had happened when Mashiro confronted Yamato. It was something they had not expected, but in a way, it may not have been helped. In addition, they finally understood that Mashiro was doing a service for the Seishin Guardians due to the conflict they had with Rose Blade in the past. It was still something that hit them hard like a force that slammed them to the face of a wall.

"I can't believe it," Yuta spoke up to break the silence. "Mashiro isn't the same person she was when she came here. How… How is that possible? She was so friendly to everyone, especially Yamato. But now, she's so serious about everything that's she's shunned him away."

Lia stared at Yuta as she considered something. "Perhaps, Mashiro felt a need to help the rest of the Guardians because of her former role during our days at Seishin Academy. She was a prominent figure to everyone in the same year, and she was powerful, as well. Mashiro was practically the one who stepped up to become the leader, after all."

Airi, who had her arms folded and was leaning against a chair, looked at Lia and tilted her head to her right. "You know, I think you're spot on about that. Shiro was always the unwavering type of person you would expect to see in movies or anywhere there were strict rules. She was also pretty awesome at combat with the swords she used to have."

"Wait, Mashiro had swords?" Takamasa asked, astonished at hearing his girlfriend mention anything about it. "That's the first all of us have heard of it."

Airi smiled, looking at the scriptwriter she had for a lover. "Surprising, huh? It's actually the truth. Shiro used to be everyone's idol because she could fight with two swords at the same time. Not only that, she was also beautiful and swift with every movement. It was so amazing back then, Taka-kun. You wouldn't believe how cool she was."

"Wow," Takamasa responded. "That great, huh? But nothing beats my girlfriend in my eyes." He smiled back at Airi and they were locked in their own world again.

Takao smiled tenderly. "Sounds like you had a nice time there, Airi. I would have liked to see how everyone in your year fought."

Airi closed her eyes and smiled as she looked at Takao. "No, you wouldn't. You would have been killed if you came to visit me, Takao."

"Yeah, by goddesses!" Yuta exclaimed. "But like Saeki, I only have one. And her name, is Lia Kurumada." He glanced at said girl and smiled affectionately at her.

Lia smiled back, enlacing her left hand with Yuta's right hand as they were finally able to get back together. "Thanks for waiting for me, Yuta."

Yuta gave an eye smile. "No problem. It was difficult at first, but I'm glad I got to see you again after all these years."

Yamato glanced at the couples and frowned. The only girl who appeared in his mind was Mashiro, and he felt his heart get stung with pain for not being able to go after her. And now, he couldn't make up with her for what he did.

"Don't feel too down, Yamato," Kunihiko attempted to cheer Yamato up with a light smile. "I know you're sorry for what you did, but let's wait a little longer until we can finally get a chance to properly meet and talk with Mashiro about this. Even though she doesn't have her memories of her time with us, she's still the same person deep down. You just have to dig a bit deeper until you can trigger those memories back. After all, you love her like the rest of us do. Waiting for her might be hard at first, but she'll definitely come back."

Yamato looked up. "Kuni. Do you really think so? What if she never comes back? Then, what will I do?"

"Haha," Kunihiko laughed. "You're just contradicting everything again. Just go with the flow, Yamato. Eventually, you'll get to her."

Sophie stared at them for a few seconds. "…" Then, she turned towards Ren as they sat together at a two-party table. "Do you think everything will work out for Mashiro and Yamato Kougami over there? I'm not sure how to describe the feelings the young man has for her at the moment. He appears to be thinking too much about this."

"What about you, Sophie?" Ren asked back. "How do you feel about their future? Do you think it'll end with sorrow, or do you think it'll become filled with light and hope?" He looked at his friend over in the distance ahead. "As for me," he replied as he gazed back at his fiancée, "I don't truly know what will happen." A faint smile spread onto Ren's face as he continued his answer. "But. I think either ending is needed to get them both to see things through with one another before the outcome of their fate is decided."

The turquoise-haired girl's eyes widened somewhat as she looked up at the blond. "Ren…" The smile she had always let Ren see when they were together was starting to return, and Sophie closed her eyes happily. "Un…! I think so, too, Ren." Although her eyes did not open, tears were flowing down her cheeks. Soon enough, she decided to open them and embraced Ren with a strong conviction Mashiro would come back to their side. Ren caught Sophie the instant she went to hold him, and reciprocated those feelings of love from the mangaka. He really did love Sophie with all his heart, something that was obvious to everyone around them, even Yamato. The same auburn-haired man was staring with evident admiration and comprehension as he stared at the two in front of his eyes. The very awe he began to feel for their close relationship and romance was something he was certain of—a passionate and close bond that couldn't be broken, even if someone wanted to tear them apart from each other. After a few moments, he looked down.

"Kuni," he called the purple-haired bar owner. "I finally understand how an actual couple feels."

Kunihiko placed his right hand on Yamato's shoulder and smiled, soft and proudly. "Then, let's bring her back. No matter what. Not just Mashiro, but also her memories. It might be an excruciating road ahead of us, but we'll find a way."

Yamato nodded and raised his head, his confidence recurring back to him as he looked at Kunihiko. "Yeah. And I'll make sure that happens as well."

At that time, Commander Shuu Ohara and the Leader of the Guardians, Mashiro Kougami/Tsuneha were standing together inside the warehouse base hidden underground, reserved for only the Seishin Guardians. They were conversing on a topic the brunet decided to bring up.

"What do you think of the group we saw a few hours ago, Tsuneha-san?" Shuu enquired.

Mashiro glanced at her commanding officer. "…Do you mean the man with the auburn-colored haired from before?"

An eye smile from Shuu immediately followed after. "Exactly! Waa~, you're still as perceptive as ever, Tsuneha-san!"

Mashiro stared at Shuu with unwavering eyes of her own. "I can't say much about him, but his very existence tightens my chest with great power. I don't know the reason why, but it still hurts to think about him or be near him."

A few thoughts came to mind when Shuu observed Mashiro.

_So that's it, _he concluded to himself. _He's your husband, isn't he? The man you told me about when I encountered you after all those years. Forgive me for not knowing, Tsuneha-san. Well, not that you actually go by that surname anymore, but… I'm glad to see you still have an attachment to your regular life. I promise I'll make it up to you, and to the man you love._

Mashiro looked back towards the rest of the expansion. "Anyway, we should get ready soon. We don't want to keep the other Guardians waiting too long."

Shuu nodded. "Marvelous idea, Leader. Let's head back, shall we?"

As the two of them went back to meet the other members, a young woman was engaged with plotting against Mashiro, Shun, and the rest of the Seishin Guardians. A female with long, black hair and illuminated and beautiful purple eyes was sitting in a chair, as if she were the chairwoman or highest ranked person in a successful and powerful company. Despite her wondrous physical characteristics, she was dressed for an important battle of some sort. Every part making up her attire simply added to her loveliness.

"Now," she smiled deviously. "It's only a matter of time before the war begins. And when it does, I'll be the one who gains the upper hand. I won't lose to anyone—not the Guardians, nor to Mashiro. I'll win no matter what casualties are sacrificed to the other world, and I'll defeat them, once and for all!"

**Author's Note**

**As always, thank you for those who have read and shown your support for **_**My Not-so-Forged Wedding**_**, whether you just read it, or even gave a favorite and comment. I know you might be confused with the fanfic at this point, but it's because what I write for it is part of the plot. And, if you imagine it to be like an anime-like story when you read it, you might be able to understand it better. What's really important when reading the works an author writes is to also try to see if you can break each bit down into small pieces and put them together like a puzzle, and also analyze what they're trying to let you know. That's basically what reading and writing is about. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. It's longer than the previous ones, but it's also taken some more effort and work on my part to complete. Still, I'd like you guys to enjoy it. Always thank the author if you like what they write. That's a big tip out there if you actually read, and please do. It means a lot of every one of us, especially when we write our butts off for you.**


	8. Episode 8

The Desire to Convey These Feelings

Days passed by since the night Mashiro was known to have lost her memories of Yamato and the days she spent as a normal young woman in the city she with her friends Sophie Kanzaki, Airi Hirabayashi, and Lia Kurumada. The four of them had recently moved there, with Lia being the latest and newest addition. Unfortunately, Mashiro did not have as much time to converse with the green-haired idol as much as she would had hoped to. In fact, the two were unable to say anything to each other because of this occurrence. It was also unknown how long the leader of the Seishin Academy Guardians was going to be separated from her comrades from their high school days, but at least Mashiro was safe with the rest of her affiliated team of fighters.

Or so, the Long Island group assumed of them.

As the Guardians were focused on monitoring some of their members, the females who were paying attention to the computer screens were also observing to find anything they could on Rose Blade, after tracking them down nights before. Then, one of the young women turned her head around just in time for Mashiro and Shuu (who was behind her) to arrive.

"Leader! Commander Shuu! We have something to report on Rose Blade's activities," the young woman announced to the higher ranking officers.

"What is it?" Mashiro inquired, devoting her focus to what was going on.

The member looked back at her screen and replied with, "There are soldiers who are standing guard outside the area, but have yet to attack or patrol in search for any of our members, in case of suspicion. However, they haven't moved much in quite some time now. Should we relay any orders to our members at this time?"

"I don't believe there's any need of us to initiate an attack at the moment," the fawn-haired superior answered firmly. "At a time like this, everyone should try to be as composed as possible so we can formulate a plan on what to do next. If I do remember, some of them are moving forward to trapping and catching Rose Blade's soldiers off guard, are they not?"

The other female member who was sitting next to the previous one nodded as she glanced at the leader. "Yes, Mashiro-sama." Then, she looked back at her computer screen. "They are currently getting ready for an ambush against the opposing team. But we have not heard much from them."

Mashiro frowned with discontent after she heard the last sentence. "What are you doing? Contact them immediately, and check on their progress. We don't want anything to happen to them at all costs! Do you hear me?"

The girls were alert as with the others in the room who were inspecting the situation on Rose Blade. Even the men who were also in their seats were surprised by Mashiro's firmness towards them.

"Y-YES!" the Seishin Guardians on duty quickly responded, calling in on their fellow allies to make certain of their conditions.

Just like she was over four years ago, Mashiro's leadership skills and personality did not change. Her top qualities had indeed returned to her entire being and remained intact. Shuu glanced at her and smiled with serene satisfaction. He truly appreciated the fact the fawn-haired girl did not falter in any way. Mashiro was the person the Seishin Guardians felt a profound respect for years, despite a bit of harshness on her part.

_That's our leader, _the brunet thought. _Severe when she needs to be, but tries her best to be a good role model for our sakes. I knew she wouldn't let us down, and I'm glad she chose to fight with us. That eagerness of Tsuneha-san's to help the Guardians once more is a remarkable characteristic indeed._

All of a sudden, an explosion caught the attention of the group and they all felt pulled back because of it. The large blast of ammunition astonished them and they all looked up.

"…!" Mashiro's eyes were widened, and she grinded her teeth with frustration. "Shoot!"

_We need to hurry and counterattack, fast! _She shouted deep within.

That was when she swiftly got hold of herself and gave commands to each and every person. "Send our troops waiting outside to run and attack back! We mustn't allow Rose Blade to get the upper hand in our battle! Also." Mashiro caught her breath and kept on gazing at the huge screen before continuing. "Have them do what they can to force Iroha and her army of fighters to retreat no matter what. This will serve as a warning not to mess with us while we're still around."

Everyone listening to their fawn-haired leader nodded with stern and determined expressions. "Un!"

And so, the declaration the multiple Guardians outside one of Rose Blade's hideouts to charge on was commanded by the first female member in the room: "All standby Guardians, start attacking the adversary as fast as you can. Do not hesitate and strike the Rose Blade members in order to cause them to run away from the city. Quickly! I repeat: Launch an attack on Rose Blade's soldiers and force them to escape the area. That is all." And the members waiting outside nodded and agreed to it. So, they began their counterattack upon the northern side where the Rose Blade officers and staff striked them, and successfully gained advantage of the situation, which made the criminal organization step back.

Iroha Murakami, the female leader of Rose Blade bit her lip in fury to Mashiro's orders to give an ambush against Rose Blade. "…Damn it all! Mashiro Tsuneha, how dare you do this to me and my soldiers! Why must you be admired by everyone from Seishin Academy, to the point where even my beloved person is devoted to you?!" The black-haired beauty who declared her war on the Seishin Guardians clenched her right hand into a fist, further displaying her wrath towards the fawn-haired girl. "Mark my words; I WILL defeat you, even if I have to crush your fighters' hopes for your survival, you wretch! I. Will. KILL you, Mashiro!" Iroha yelled before turning her back against where she was facing. Then, she walked away, speaking into a cell phone connected to her warriors. "Everyone, get away and go to our other hideout in the northwest. We will meet up and strategize our new plan to succeed against Mashiro Tsuneha's combatants."

"YES, M'AAM!" the others on Rose Blade's team answered back, following their leader's instructions.

Meanwhile, the Guardians watched the scene unfold. They all then gave a breath of relief short after the incident. Mashiro was perhaps the most relieved one; she was also exhausted from each preparation, directive, and duty [or form of excellence] she had to perform and give out, but she was resolute and willing to aid her fellow Seishin comrades until the end of her objective.

Shuu took another glance at his superior and smiled gently. "You did well, Tsuneha-san. Although it was a bit difficult to regain the balance in the room, you held your endurance together."

Mashiro shook her head. "No. I was feeling ill at the same time" She appeared to have an uneasy expression on her face, indicating proof of her words. "Anyway, we should take a rest for the night. Thank you for your hard work, everyone." She turned around and headed to her room with a bit of stumbling, and Shuu helped her on their way back.

The other Seishin Guardians looked at them and their shoulders fell from an evident tired state. They too, returned to their rooms and followed behind.

It was the afternoon of the next day and everyone was gathered inside Long Island. They all had the day off and Kunihiko served them food and drink to get their hopes up since the occurrence with Mashiro. Yamato, on the other hand, was deep in thought, staring at his knees and the floor.

Sophie and Ren glanced at him with calm expressions. Then, Ren spoke up.

"Thinking about Mashiro again?" he asked; his blank look did not budge much.

Yamato nodded without returning a gaze towards the blond and his fiancée. "Yeah… I wonder how she and her friends are doing. I don't know if she's been doing okay, whether she's safe or not. It makes me worried that something could happen to her at any time of the day. Heck, I've been thinking about Mashiro every second since our argument. It really pains me to a long extent without her by my side."

Ren frowned while continuing to have a stoic appearance. "I don't think you should be too concerned about her, according to what we've learned, Yamato. You're getting too worked up in your own way about this. Have faith in her, you thickheaded newlywed."

The auburn-haired man turned his head towards the direction of the insult, and his expression contorted with anger. "What was that?" He got up from his seat and was making his way to Ren. "I dare you to say that again, you little—"

Just then, Kunihiko took hold of Yamato's left hand with his right, preventing the physics teacher from a violent assault. "Yamato, calm down." With a stern look on his face, the bar owner was not pleased to see his friend trying to harm another [one of his friends he knew since childhood]. "You're not a little kid anymore, so don't act immature through a fist fight. That's completely wrong on your part, you understand?"

"!" Yamato turned to look at the purple-haired man. "Kuni." Soon, a look of anguish formed on his face. "But I…" Once again, his anger came back as he stared at Ren. "Ren, you bastard! How could you just say something like that?! Of course I have to be concerned for Mashiro!" He gazed down at the floor with frustration. "She's my… She's my wife…" He could felt tears were coming, but held them in with both his hands converted to balled fists. "I… I don't want to lose her, despite the fact we're separated from each other now. She's also the only family I have, you know!" He was already looking at Ren once more after admitting the last piece. "I can't live without her! I just can't."

"Then, why didn't you tell her that?" Ren questioned. "Why didn't you tell her your true feelings before you had your dispute with her? The way you are now," the researcher pointed out, "do you really believe Mashiro would've wanted to see you like this? To know that you've been skipping your job as a high school teacher, as a husband, as a person—a man, to be precise—and as yourself. Do you think she loved you for losing your will and promise to her?" His eyes narrowed in a staid manner to go along with his expression and argument. "If so, then you never truly kept your promise to love her for eternity. You haven't even considered Mashiro's feelings one bit, and you've ignored them. A husband's duty is not to brush his wife's care and emotions aside like they never existed because everyone here can tell just by one look how much she truly treasured you. Not only that, but she was the only one who truly thought about you, and loved you with all her heart. No other woman could ever love you like Mashiro did. She wanted you to be happy; in fact, Mashiro wanted to support you the most, and that drew a clear line away from every one of us because she was so dedicated to you. That's how much she loved you, Yamato."

Hearing the truth about Mashiro's feelings for Yamato finally became clearer than daylight to him. And that was when he remembered Mashiro's words from before.

_"You may have stolen my heart even after I met you, but you'll never be able to redeem your sin for doing so. I hate what you did to me; however, what I hate most about you is the fact you remained ignorant to everyone around you—especially your father."_

It was then that Yamato realized something important. He had begun to think about it some time after he and Mashiro were together, but it didn't become precious until it was finally obvious to him. Somewhere deep within his heart, he knew. He knew he was running away from himself—from the heartstrings that laid inside his chest.

_That's right, _he thought. _I was only thinking of myself when I was with Mashiro and even before I met her. I've only been doing selfish deeds, and they were all for the sake of taking my feelings out on my father this whole time. I never took a look at how Mashiro felt about me, and I lied to her. I broke the promise I gave to her on the day of our wedding and always left her alone whenever I went to work. She did everything she could for me, but I kept on hurting her. But now… I'm an idiot who's still turning myself away from her—from everyone in my life. I can't go on like this because I want to bring Mashiro back to me, and to all of us before it's too late to do anything about what happened. I want to see her again no matter what, and I want to tell her how I feel about her._

Yamato looked at Ren for yet another time with a new resolve. "Thanks, Ren. I finally understood my true feelings. I don't want to abandon them, and I want to convey them to her when the opportunity comes. I don't want to throw away how I feel, either, so I'll always treasure my emotions. I know that I've hurt Mashiro and I even chased her out of our apartment. But now, I don't want to regret anything. I don't want to forget meeting Mashiro because… I fell for her. I love her for who she is, and I miss her. Although nothing will change how inconsiderate I was to her—how I mistreated her—I still want to let her know that I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to her to hurt her. At first, I didn't realize these feelings, but after losing Mashiro to my selfishness, I was positive that she was the only one who could keep me going." He smiled at his friend and said, "If you hadn't said anything about my half-assed flaws and about Mashiro's love for me, I don't think I would've known how much I put her through. So, thank you again, Ren."

Ren smiled back softly. "It wasn't because of me, but your own feelings for Mashiro that you were able to gather yourself together, Yamato; but, don't mention it. I'm not the only one who's been thinking about you, but everyone else in our group, including Sophie and the girls. We're always here for you no matter the hardships you're going through. That's why, you should set your priorities straight and focus on doing what you can for Mashiro's sake. Not only to bring her back, but to help restore her memories and feelings for you before it's too late to do anything for her."

Yamato's eyes widened. "Ren…" He knew the younger man was correct and Ren's words hit him right to his heart.

Then, Takamasa started to applaud and walked up to them. "Congrats, Yamato. You finally listened to your heart and to everyone else for once." He chuckled and laughed some more. "Took you long enough. You don't know how worried we were about you, you numbskull." Reaching out with his left hand, he ruffled Yamato's hair gently and lovingly like an older brother. And he smiled for a second time. "Go resolve what you need to when the time is right, and if you have any other unfinished business to do, then do that first before seeing Mashiro again. We don't know when that will be, but it'll surely come to you when fate decrees it to."

Takao looked at Yamato and smiled warmly. "Right. Through thick and thin we'll be here with you, Yamato. Hasn't it just been us guys this whole time until Mashiro, Sophie, Airi, and Lia started to move in? When you think about it, we have a bigger support thanks to them. Maybe there's another reason for the war against Rose Blade and the Seishin Guardians, and that's to help bring us all together again afterwards." He lowered his eyes in fondness, glancing down at his coffee cup. "I believe deep down that we can always meet up after parting, even if it takes years, decades, and beyond our lifetimes. Though we might not be able to see each other again, we can reencounter everyone in another life." He glanced up at Yamato and the others, and his smile grew back to its usual stage. "Don't you think so as well, Yamato? Everyone?"

Sophie, Lia, Airi, Yuta, Takamasa, Ren, Yamato, and Kunihiko all nodded together in perfect harmony, each of them smiling and looking at one another before moving on to the next step.

"So what are you going to do now, Yamato?" the IT company CEO asked, proud of his team member. "You seem to be in the mood to get things done and over with. Did something come to mind?"

The auburn-haired man nodded as he kept smiling. "Yeah. It was something I've been arrogantly trying to accomplish when I first found out about a certain person in my mother's life. I held a grudge against the person she loved dearly and I even hated him to the point where I sought out revenge against him. I chose to work at the all-girls' academy because of my despise for him, and I ended up becoming a teacher there. It was also thanks to the fact I found out from my grandmother that he was my long lost father that I pursued a career in teacher there."

"Your father?" A puzzled expression appeared on Airi's face. It was suddenly coming together that Yamato was revealing the truth to his friends—something everyone was slowly getting to know about him.

Yamato continued. "What you're hearing is all true. My father is the principal of the academy. I decided to get closer to him in order to find out how he truly felt about my mother, if he remembered her at all; if he loved her the way she loved him; if he abandoned my mother to gain a high position. When I fought over what I was doing with Mashiro, I started to lose myself by yelling back at her about my father, especially how I felt towards him. After she left the apartment, I regretted everything I used her for. I wanted to apologize and make things right again, but it was already too late to do anything after we all found out she lost her memories of this city and the life she had here, in exchange for regaining her old ones of Seishin and her time there. So, it brought me to reconsider something I needed to do, and that's to see my father again and hear his side of the past that Mashiro was able to listen to. I don't want to hurt another person in my life because of my motives anymore, so I'll try to bear through everything and get to know how he felt all these years. I do owe him more than I would have expected, but I'll endure as much as I can and trust him a bit more."

Hearing Yamato tell his story made the rest of the group, including Lia gain an approval of the physics teacher. Things were beginning to change on the brighter side, it seemed.

The green-haired idol smiled with such admiration of the words that were spoken and placed the palm of her right hand on the side of her face. "Guess you're ready to execute the next part of your procedure. It was quite interesting that you would tell us something so important about yourself, but I think what you're doing now is the correct thing, Yamato-san. It makes me remember that Mashiro was also there for us when we were in high school. She became the center of everybody's attention, yet she was still very vital to us because we loved her for who she was, and we still do. She's always brought out our best sides, and Mashiro's someone we could never forget. The fact that you said you were in love with her reminded me of the nostalgia of being friends with her, and caring for Mashiro with my entire body. She's practically part of my family, as she has become yours. So, thank you for saying how you felt about her. I'm truly grateful that there was someone who could change because of a good friend of mine."

Yuta smiled as well, feeling as though he could happily cry. "Yeah, I think so, too. I believe that because Mashiro was in our lives that we could meet people we could care about and reunite with. I don't think I could forget being friends with her for a short time. You know… I still wish she was still with us, smiling like before. It just isn't the same without a member of our group to support us and hold everything together."

Airi nodded. "It's hard to think Shiro's with Shuu and the others to fight against Rose Blade at such a peaceful time for us, but I also believe what she's doing is right. I'm sure things will end so we can smile for her." She faced Yamato and said, "Yamato, do what you have to. I know you had a hard time dealing with your struggles, even though you didn't talk much about them back in high school. Still, I want the best results for you and your dad. You're a good friend to me, so go to where he is and don't regret anything from meeting him." Her words were earnest, but they were full of hope.

Yamato felt a lighter air within and smiled. "Thanks. You and Saeki make a good match, you know?"

Takamasa smirked casually, placing his left hand on his hip. "Of course we do. We're both famous and loving to each other."

The purple-haired girl frowned. "Taka-kun, don't hold him away more than we've already done. You're wasting Yamato's time."

The scriptwriter gave a short chuckle and looked at his sweetheart. "I know. I just wanted to say it."

Sophie looked at the sight in front of her and Ren. Then, she looked up at Yamato. "Young man." This earned a, "Hm?" from Yamato as he glanced at the mangaka, who resumed the conversation. "I still hate the fact you deceived those who trusted you. Mashiro is the one person I wish didn't have to suffer from your actions. However, I know she wouldn't want you to get hurt from your troubles, either. So, I'm letting this slide for her sake. Set everything back in order, and break yourself free from your past. Move forward and start anew."

Yamato nodded with determination represented in his eyes. "Thank you. I now understand why you were fed up with me when you can here. It doesn't excuse what I did to Mashiro and my school, but I _am_ sorry for stomping against your hate for me."

Sophie turned away towards Ren's direction on her right. "Just go already. I have no more to tell you for today."

Ren smiled and placed his right hand on the turquoise-haired girl's head, which did not receive a reaction from it. Yamato gazed at them and smiled before leaving Long Island.

Shortly afterward, Yamato found himself standing on his school grounds, staring at the large building in front of him silently. Then, a familiar voice he knew as he was a part of the staff was heard.

"Mr. Kougami?" the person called out, walking up to the auburn-haired man. It was exactly who Yamato thought it was as he turned around to face the principal of the all-girls school. "If I may ask, what brings you here?" Okishima smiled kindly, showing no signs of being a horrible person.

Yamato's eyes slightly widened. "Principal. I was just thinking I might be able to meet you here. That's all."

"Oh?" Okishima replied. "Why, I'm glad that you came to see me. Several days ago, your wife came here, as well. It was strange. She was also looking at the academy, but she appeared to be such a wonderful young maiden that I had not thought she was married to you, Mr. Kougami. Yet, when we spoke, we had a pleasant conversation, so much so that I would like to see her again."

Yamato looked at the principal and brought himself to answer back. "I heard you two talked about your past. Could you also… tell me about it? I would like to know more about you, seeing as we've only exchanged greetings during school hours. We never spoke much about ourselves, but this is a good opportunity to do so."

"Certainly," the elderly man smiled once more. He walked over to the same bench he and Mashiro sat on, taking the same seat as when Mashiro was around. "Please, join me. Mrs. Kougami and I were conversing with one another on this very bench, you see. Since you wanted to know about what I told your wife, Mr. Kougami, I thought it might be easier to sit on the same spot I did when I met her." Without saying another word, Yamato took a seat next to the principal. Okishima then looked down and wondered, "Hmm. Where should I start? Ah, yes." He glanced to his right at Yamato and continued. "When we spoke, your wife told me that she had been in love with you before your first encounter. Love is mysterious, but I do believe she was so sincere when she told me her feelings for you. It reminded of the time I was in love with a young lady myself."

"What was she like?" Yamato inquired, keeping a bit of distance between himself and the principal in order not to reveal his relation to the older man. "The woman you fell in love with. Was she someone you couldn't live without?"

"Yes," Okishima remembered fondly. "Without a doubt, I felt as though she was someone who was irreplaceable, and someone I wanted to be with for all my life since the day she was in my class."

Yamato titled his head a bit. "Were you classmates?"

Okishima shook his head. "No. We weren't classmates, to tell you the truth. She was… a student of mine."

"?!" Yamato was shocked. It hit him right in his chest to find out his father had been in love with a student years ago.

_What?! _He shouted to himself. _Don't tell me… No… Could it be that my mother was…_

"I know it is difficult to believe, but what I am telling you is true," Okishima admitted. He had a reflecting expression on his face, displaying how serious he was about his words. "However. She was the only one I could think about back then. I loved her more than any other man did, and she returned those feelings of mine. So, we began to see each other secretly, as often as we could. Our relationship as a student and teacher pairing was forbidden back then, just as it is today. But one day, she stopped attending school." He lowered his head, recounting his sad memories. "It was only a few days before her graduation. We could finally be together without any worries from our relationship, but still, she did not return. She disappeared from my life, leading me to search for her everywhere I could, starting with her parents' home. They refused to permit me to see her no matter how many times I tried. It was then that it became evident we could not tell one another how we truly felt, despite my desire to marry her on the day of her graduation. I found out from her parents one day years later that the reason why she never came back to the academy was due to the fact she was pregnant. That was when I was certain. 'The child was mine,' I told myself. There was no possibility she could have had a child with another man because… we were always together until the end came for us." At this point, tears formed from his eyes and began to drip down as he looked down. "The only thing I wanted from this was to be with the woman I loved, nothing more, nothing less. I have always wanted to meet her again, along with the son she was said to have given birth to. But alas, it was not meant to be no matter how many years I sought for them. I could not _find_ them, though I traveled to many areas of Tokyo to look for the two of them." He held his head up, gazing into the distance laying before his eyes. "But that does not mean I have given up my hopes to see them, and to finally become a family with them. When I can finally be with my beloved and son, I will be very happy that they are with me. I will not have to be alone anymore." He smiled, not looking at anything or anyone else.

After hearing what his father had to say, Yamato felt a mix of emotions, ranging from pain to sorrow for judging the man who created him many years ago. He had no idea the words he heard were how Okishima truly felt until now. Even though he wanted to apologize and pour his heart out to the principal, he couldn't bring himself to say anything for a few seconds. But then, he put his left hand on the back of his father's right hand, staring down at the ground and his (Yamato's) knees. Okishima glanced at the auburn-haired man with a bit of surprise and confusion.

"I…" Yamato began, not shifting his gaze. "I also have a lot of things I want to say to my loved ones. Hearing you tell me about your love life made me think about Mashiro, Principal. There was something I had to sort out with a companion of mine the day I met her, but even so, I'm positive I started to fall in love with her because she was so endearing. She put myself before her, and continued to become my light as time went on. I was oblivious to my own emotions which were growing more and more when it came to her. Because we were a married couple, she wanted to know about me and share her past with me, but despite telling her about myself, I brushed her aside. We also had a fight after she told me she met you, and she ran away. Although she was safe, things fell apart for us. I've torn our relationship to pieces, but I've rued it. I really do." Again, he felt himself tearing up, and this time, he allowed himself to let those newborn tears fall from his eyes. "And today, I finally realized how much I miss her, how much I love her. I took advantage of her kindness and I crushed her feelings for me. I want to apologize to Mashiro, and it's not just that…!" Many more tears slid down his cheeks, and his desires and emotions kept on unveiling themselves. "I… I love her more than anyone else in the world; and I want to see her again. I want to be with her again… and I can't live without her. Not like this. I want to make everything right again and tell her how I truly feel about her."

Find out Yamato's anguished cries touched the principal's heart as he listened and watched his co-worker's sad expression and the tears that came along with it.

"Mr. Kougami…" It wasn't until he heard Yamato's conflicted feelings that he knew the two of them were similar in wishing to see the women they love once more, to be with them and become one another's family through another chance of fate. Okishima glanced down with a calmly reflecting look, as if trying to reach for a solution to give Yamato a better outlook on the former's circumstances. "I don't know what has happened between you and Mrs. Kougami, but I understand your longing for your wife very well." Then, he smiled softly and somewhat sadly. "It must be excruciatingly hard for you, but I have not forgotten that feeling myself. I've felt such a striking similarity back then when I lost my chance to be with my beloved, but I wish for you to be able to see your wife again, and not remorse over everything just yet. Perhaps you have a vast opening to reach her before anything happens to sever your ties forever. Everything will be alright, Mr. Kougami. I know you can overcome such difficulty and meet her again." He gave a slight nod and kept on smiling tenderly. "That is… how I truly feel."

Yamato looked up and turned to his left. "Principal…"

Okishima closed his eyes, still smiling just like before, and extended his right hand, putting on Yamato's head. Then, he started to gently put it up and down, moving his hand like a lever. This astounded the younger man as his eyes widened a bit. He was caught off guard, but he felt as though the two of them could finally become a true family for the first time in his life. He had always hoped for his father to be there for him, and it finally happened, albeit several years later.

_Dad… _Yamato wanted to call him that from his inner self. He was beginning to feel truly sorry towards his father for not trying to love and appreciate him all the time he thought his father abandoned him. _Up until now, I didn't think he truly cared about me. But even as my superior, I still can't think about harming him. _All of Yamato's negative feelings for his father slowly dissipated and he began to see Okishima in a novel prospective full of light and sincerity. _Father… Right now, I want to tell him that I'm his son, but I don't want to break the truth to him yet. Not when I know Mom's gone, and he doesn't. I have to give us some time before I can say anything. So, please. Wait for me. I'll make things right again, between us, and between Mashiro. Wait for me, Dad._

His eyes lowered, and his entire being finally felt loved by his biological father. So, the two of them stayed the way they were for a while… before they had to part.

As the sun was setting, Yamato made his way past Long Island toward the supermarket. He still seemed sad that he couldn't tell Okishima their relation to each other yet.

A certain purple-haired hat wearing man strolled up to him with a light smile on his face while carrying a shopping bag in his right hand. "Yamato!"

The auburn-haired man looked up mildly, a bit surprised to see the bar owner. "Kuni."

"So?" Kunihiko questioned. "How was it?"

Yamato broke into a casual smile and said, "It was alright. We got to talk about our pasts and love lives. They were both pretty sappy, but I finally got to get over my hate for my father thanks to my decision to see him." He gazed down, putting his right hand on his head in affection. "Can't believe I took so long to meet him and find out more about him. I was glad to know he didn't use my mother for anything. In fact, I was completely wrong about him. I didn't get a chance to tell him who I really was to him, but I'll make sure to do that when the time is right. I wonder why it took so long for this moment. I always wanted him to be with my mother and I at the beginning, instead of making amends after becoming a young adult."

"Sometimes, life is complex for a reason," Kunihiko commented, as if knowing many different experiences. "It brings you into an unknown world when you're born, and it throws sad things at you in order for people to overcome their long battles. It's heartbreaking, but true in all sorts of ways. It's basically a fundamental base for everyone, yet it helps guide us to an uncertain path to determine our consciousness. As we grow older and mature more, it starts to gradually become clearer than before."

Yamato stared at Kunihiko and smiled once more. "Kuni, I'm sorry for not being able to do a proper job at making Mashiro happy. And… thank you so much for letting me meet her. I was someone who was too jaded to notice that everyone truly cared for me until she came into my life. But I started to change because of her. I don't regret meeting Mashiro, and I'm grateful for that. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"No, _thank you_," the shaggy-haired man said. "You were able to do something I couldn't do for her. You supported her and stayed with her when I was too busy struggling to find a way to help her. I've always wanted to become a better guardian for Mashiro, but I failed because I wasn't trying enough to become her family. But you become her entire family after she came here, Yamato. You became the center of her world and I'm sure inside her hidden memories, you still are. So don't give up and keep searching for her complete self when you meet her again."

Yamato nodded. "Yeah. I'll get her memories back. No matter what."

Soon, they parted ways, and tried their best to endure the lonely and long night that arrived shortly after.

Meanwhile, Mashiro was relaxing—or at least trying to—after their constant conflicts with Rose Blade. It was tough, but they still survived. At that time, Mashiro was deep in thought as she recalled the events from before having to prepare for the battle.

_I can't stop thinking about that man with the auburn-colored hair, _she noted. _Why is that? He continues to cloud my concentration and it pains my heart when I think about him. I don't know who he is, but it hurts. My entire core is brimming full of aches from remembering his sad expression. Why… Why can't I ignore him? It's as if I'm leaning towards him, regardless of the fact that the two of us are strangers. But… I shouldn't be thinking about him when the war is still going on between the Guardians and Rose Blade. I have to regain my focus and end the war for the safety of the world._


	9. Episode 9

From Literature to Manga: A Memory of a Past Decision

While inside the depth of her mind, Mashiro let herself relax from the stress of the battles she and the other Seishin Guardians had faced day-in and day-out. There was one memory she could recall vividly as she gave herself time to consider something about it.

_That man from before… _her inner self thought. _There is something about him I can't stop thinking about. Why is that? Surely, a stranger has never truly impacted my head's placeholder before. Yet… The sad expression he donned the night he and his friends came here was not a look that could have lied to anyone like myself. Not to mention Sophie, Lia, and Airi were there with his group of companions. I do not understand. There must be a reason that they are with him, but still. I cannot underestimate the fact that my heart ruptures whenever he comes to mind. Am I a figure permitted to have such conflicts of becoming closer to him from afar? Should I be able to have these emotions of mystical passion? My role in life is to lead the Guardians from my year and maintain order so I can end the war with them. We are one in our desire to do so; therefore, I mustn't waver from my purpose. To protect this country is a holy value my comrades and I will confront without regrets. As long as we serve a promise to Seishin Academy, none of us will stop fighting for as long as we live._

As she mentally reinforced her resolve, a sudden blast from outside snapped Mashiro out of her thoughts, causing her to turn swiftly towards the strongest sensation of the force. She instantly stood up from her seat and stared at the large screen in front of her eyes, taking in what had just happened on the battlefield.

"…!" Her gaze was stuck as she saw a few of her fellow members wounded outside, and a mix of emotions was spurring themselves into her chest at the sight of harmful play. Yet, those same soldiers who were dedicated to her guidance were still alive and ready for a counterattack.

As Shuu rushed in, he could tell Mashiro was still trying to find a solution to the endless catastrophe they were in. "Don't worry, Tsuneha-san! I'll handle it." He activated his transceiver situated on the left side of his uniform which was over his chest [above his heart, on the fold]. Then, he spoke into it. "Everyone, hang in there. We can pull through this. Don't give up and keep moving forward." He turned off his communication device and looked at the fawn-haired girl once more. "Sorry for the interruption, but I had to do my duty as well. I know it came as a surprise, but they'll be fine."

Mashiro shook her head and glanced down with her stern gaze, reflecting on her incapacity to concentrate on the outside earlier. "No, I was at fault myself. Had I not been averting my attention, this would have been prevented. However. I now will realign my focus on aiding you and all the other Guardians once more, and put that determination in granting you the ability to see your loved one once and for all. I do believe this ongoing war was something I indirectly instigated in the first place, Shuu. I'm still sorry it had to turn out this way, but I'll make it up to you. And… to _her_." She raised her head, steadily shifting it slightly behind on her left, over her shoulder. Her expression was glazed with a tranquil, yet apologetic calmness in her eyes, while her mouth was staidly firm, creating a look of absolute resolve. Such a straight face was much more engraving than the heiress's stoic front from the Kanzaki family. Not even Ren could have matched the Seishin Guardian leader's appearance, despite being able to rival Cheryl's own indifferent state. "No matter the circumstances, I will keep my vow to the two of you; whether or not she'll accept my presence is none of my concern, but I will also continue to play this so-called niche of mine until then. When the time comes to finish everything, I'll be prepared for what fate has in store for me. I won't regret my actions for this, and I'll be able to lift this weight off my shoulders because of you two, along with the rest of the Guardians. Perhaps it was a good thing that I rejoined you all to conclude this conflict." A faint smile of gratitude appeared on Mashiro's face as she continued to look at her close supporter. "Thank you."

Shuu smiled back sympathetically and with appreciable compassion, as he knew Mashiro's feelings towards every one of the Guardians were true, just like how he felt for them, as well as for his kind and somewhat affectionate (on the inside) general. "I should thank you as well, Leader. If it weren't for you, I would probably not have made the decision to take control of my position. Without your presence with us for the last four years, things were different, but they were also similar to when we were on our assignments in high school. We became more experienced as time went by. Yet. We never truly anticipated to encounter you once again since we were all fixated on finding a way to end Rose Blade's numerous plans. I'm glad you were safe this whole time. None of us have ever forgotten what happened back then, nor have we forgotten _you_. As you are important to us, we will all carry on your legacy for eternity."

The bond between the highest ranking officers was truly one of pure veneration and admiration gained through complexities that had not always been easily resolved. Whoever could say that it was slightly like a peculiar friendship was possibly confounded by the relationship of former schoolmates who understood one another indubiously. They were both indeed a splendid example of professional human beings who could stand side-by-side as part of an official military. And as the night went on, the burden(s) the Seishin Guardians hauled with them gradually eased.

—**The next night—**

It had been a long journey of hours for every person who had to endure working for a living. Unfortunately for a certain set of friends and acquaintances, the Tokyo night in Azabu was not over. But now, they were at least gathered in a comfortable place they could rest from their exhaustion from before. Yet, it was still difficult to believe someone they knew wasn't there with them. The ache from missing that memorable person was a feeling like no other, but nonetheless, they could only give an inner, silent prayer for a better, and brighter outcome when the time is right for them to reunite with said pal.

Lia was gazing down on the surface of the table she and Airi were at. Kunihiko, on the other hand, was casually cleaning up and polishing the clear and amazing glasses from behind the counter to which he would serve extravagant beverages and food to his privileged costumers. Ren and Sophie were sitting near each other but not close enough that they would have been next to their beloveds. And Yamato. Well, he was seated at a nearby spot on the couch the researcher was on but a few feet away.

At that time, the green-haired actress/idol's shoulders slumped and she sighed as though she could not take the enduring wait much longer, although she was pretty levelheaded. "…I'm just pointing this out but…" There went another sigh from her mouth. "…I never thought it would be this overbearing without Mashiro around after I finally came to Azabu. I guess being apart for four years after graduating from high school has actually taken a toll on me for pursuing a career as a celebrity with you, Airi. I was also thinking there was a possibility I didn't want to take a lot of responsibility to be by Mashiro's side after what happened to her." The look on Lia's face showed some sort of regret in her eyes, perhaps as a friend who should have been there with the fawn-haired girl during her (Mashiro's) time of being an amnesiac. "I've started to realize… that no matter how far apart we are from each other, I really do love Mashiro as a friend who's too valuable to be replaced and forgotten in an instant. It might be too late for me to tell her how I feel as someone she might have believed to have abandoned her when she needed us somewhere within her heart, but I don't want to keep this bottled up forever, even if I'll never get the chance to say it personally to her."

Airi glanced at her close friend and smiled. "I think… I understand what it truly feels like to wish for a second chance at being a good friend to Shiro, as well. I would have never expected that things weren't over between us and Rose Blade until we found out from Cheryl. And right now, I wish I could be there fighting along with everyone again so I can be useful to them. But I believe Shuu and the others can handle everything without our help because they're placing all their hopes and lives in Shiro's hands. That's something that hasn't changed since our days at Seishin Academy, but it's only grown to be more than just a form of reverence; Shiro's become their beacon of light to bring forth an inevitable future full of warmth and love. Somehow, I think she's also become our salvation to meet her again in the days to come afterward. It might be cheesy and all, but she's like a radiating star in the sky glowing heavier with each fraction of a second. As splendid as her appearance, Shiro's someone who guides us to an ideal path." The light purple-haired girl's eyes narrowed in a loving manner as she added the rest of her speech. "I also, want to engrave my memories of her within my heart for perpetuity, just as I do with everyone here in Long Island. Taka-kun, especially. I love him more than my words may imply, but it doesn't mean that it's easy to confess how much I feel for him. Even if I mention others more, I will always have a special place for the man I love with my entire being." Without enough time to wait, her tears began to flow down her face, expressing the love she brought up. "If it weren't for Shiro, I don't think I would have met anyone else, not even Takamasa. I also became friends with Ren, Yuta, and Yamato thanks to that. After I transferred, I also got to know you, Lia, and Sophie as well." She looked at Lia and smiled softly before giving the turquoise-haired girl who was farther away, an expression of gratefulness. "Though I hate to admit it, Sophie's taught me some things I came to understand with our rivalry. If we hadn't argued all the time back then, it wouldn't have been evident how much Shiro was treasured by anyone but Sophie herself." She kept on smiling and closed her eyes gleefully.

Sophie only raised her head to stare at Airi for one whole second before returning to write something she was indulged in for quite some time now. It seemed to be something personal, and even Ren knew what it was. But… Yamato's interest was peaked by how immense her attention was being put into a single sheet of paper or more. It was like viewing a reflection of Ren in a way or another, but it was much more of a serene prospect than the blond near him could have ever given off in a lifetime of around 100 years. Watching Sophie was like being at peace, or so one would think. She was, truthfully somewhat unapproachable due to her outer tranquility, making it unknown of her internal persona.

As he assembled the courage to ask, Yamato had a stern look on his face. "Hey, Sophie. I may be letting my curiosity get the better of me at the moment, but what's got you so focused that you haven't said anything for a few hours now? Don't tell me what you're doing is more important than trying to track Mashiro and the others down. We've all been waiting anxiously to find a solution—"

"Don't you mean that you're actually trying to _interfere_ with the Guardians' intentions to end things between them and Rose Blade instead, Yamato Kougami?" the turquoise-haired mangaka questioned without giving a glance away from her writing to look at Yamato.

Yamato's eyes widened with moderate surprise. "What?" He was certainly perplexed by what he heard from the girl who created his favorite works of literature. In fact, it hadn't occurred to him that what she said may have been true.

Surely, but abruptly, Sophie had completed what she was doing and altered her concentrated gaze up towards the auburn-haired man, turning her sketchbook down on her lap while putting her pencil on the top of the glass table. "Although you might not have came to the full comprehension of it, there is no doubt that you feel powerfully responsible for what has already taken place between you and Mashiro. Hence, how much you desire to see her again has led you to becoming immensely emotional on the inside, but also exerting an effort to keep yourself as composed as possible from yesterday's events. It must be challenging for you, as it was for everyone else from Seishin back then when the incident at the factory took its toll on us. We've been through the same thing you're going through right now. However, there are times when it can't be helped because we care about someone. I know that more than you think I do, and I've picked up your emotions since the day I arrived here. How could I not have—when you had swiftly fallen in love with my best friend without realizing such an obvious truth? I wasn't fully prepared to give Mashiro up to any man; yet, I had an inkling you were the only one who could love her more than anyone else in the world. Though it is different from my platonic relationship with her, you and I share a similarity in a way. After all, Mashiro has always been the one who could truly save those she encountered." By then, the gaze in Sophie's icy, pale blue eyes which took on a hue like an intangible glacier, was filled with a vast remembrance for the fawn-haired leader.

_Seven years ago, in the summer of 1997_

_ It was a typical heated day in the middle July. In addition, it was on the 14__th__ of the month, and a girl in her final year of junior high school was sitting down under the protection of a tree whose shade was more than enough to prevent any heatstroke to anyone below its large branched leaves. She was a beautiful sight to behold as there was an air of elegance to her figure. More than an artistic young lady, she was like an heiress to a very rich and prestigious family included with her beauty. A gentle breeze accompanied her stoical calmness, which was entirely passive—more than the kind a male could ever exhibit towards others._

_ As she sketched a scenic drawing, a girl around her age came up to her._

_ "What are you drawing?" the voice of a warmhearted junior high student inquired softly. Her light fawn hair and innocently amber eyes were like a separate work of art like no other. She even donned a short and cute smile which could not be compared to other girls who were the same age as her and the girl she was conversing with._

_ The girl with the sunlit turquoise hair looked up and added nonchalantly, "The greenery. I'm working on a third novel called, _The Tears of the Sky_. It will be the sequel of my second work, _The One Who Rules over the Village. _This will also be a longer one than my previous novel due to the usage of nature and yearning to return to the days of happiness and filial closeness. It may take a year or two before its completion, but I will continue to write every detail. After all, who wouldn't wish to go back to their childhood nostalgia? My name is Sophie Kanzaki, the younger identical twin sister of a well-known family from a distant village. I moved here when I was ten and I still reside in this city as an author of literature under the same name. If I may ask, what is yours? I have never seen you before today, but I will always remember the people I meet who are able to become close to me."_

_ The girl with light fawn hair and amber eyes continued to smile as she gazed back at Sophie. "I'm Mashiro. My family name is Tsuneha but I'm an orphan living with a man who goes by the name of Kunihiko Aikawa, along with my younger sister. Our parents died in a car accident over a year and a half ago, but he took us in, and I'm really thankful for that. I'm pleased to meet you, Sophie, and I hope we can become friends." Mashiro pondered about something before continuing. "What are you going to write after you finish your book? It sounds like you're dedicated to resuming your stories from one novel to another."_

_ Sophie only gave a nod, but answered with a question to her new acquaintance's. "…Do you like manga? I'm considering leaving the path of literature after I finish _The Tears of the Sky_. I believe it'll be a good change of pace for me because of the variety of written works this world has to offer. I also… have the desire to move forward in order to propel away from regret, so I'll walk a different path after this."_

_ "I see," Mashiro replied as though she were beginning to understand the author's feelings. "I assume something must have happened to initiate an influence on your writing. But I do like manga. It's an art that tells a tale of wondrous fiction and characters, but it's also like a counterpart to a book that only has words in it. In a way, manga is an open visualization which shortens the amount of words a book holds. I don't mind reading some literature every now and then, but I have a stronger admiration for manga."_

_ A faint and tender smile drew itself onto Sophie's face, and her grace increased as an indication of her gratitude towards Mashiro's statements. "If we meet again one day, will you read my first volume?"_

_ The ordinary junior high student's eyes slightly widened before she smiled again. Next, she nodded. "Un! Of course I'll read it! But I want to be the first one to get a copy of your manga series, okay?"_

_ "Thank you," the turquoise-haired girl told the latter._

_ There was a budding sensation of inspiration and self-redemption Sophie felt as though she were being freed from the chains of sorrow and depression around her that originated from her own experiences she could barely say to anyone but herself for the time being. Until she and Mashiro could meet again, she might as well keep her past sealed from another person's knowledge. On the contrary, the promise the two girls made to one another would only later become a beautiful experience of friendship and great awe in the eyes of everyone else who saw them._

Sophie closed her eyes for a few seconds before slowly opening them. "When I met Mashiro, I was positive that everything from then on out could manifest into a livelier recreation of how I viewed my lifeless world and enhance my vision, which was splattered with a gray-shaded darkness from the time before that. By that point, I had already allowed myself to consider transferring my career towards manga."

Yamato tilted his head to his left. "What do you mean by that?" He was confused, but still wanted to know the meaning of the mangaka's words.

"Do you know that time can stop for a living embodiment, depending on what they experience at any given point of time?" the apathetic girl enquired as if she were trying to install a lesson into the high school teacher's mind. "I was once—" Sophie shook her head. "No. Honestly, I am still someone who can't get over my past because what happened years ago continues to hang over my consciousness at a perpetual rate." She had already averted her gaze down, seemingly lost in thought.

This caught Ren's appeal and he placed his left hand over his fiancée's right, bringing her back to her senses and making her look at him with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry," Sophie apologized. "I didn't mean to make you worry, Ren."

Ren's shoulders dropped. "No. It's okay, Sophie. We're engaged, so you don't have to keep everything to yourself."

In turn, Sophie nodded. Then, she steadily stood up from her seat, and subconsciously dropped her notebook. As Ren and Yamato went to retrieve it, the page she had been working on was shown, revealing her personal thoughts on a familiar matter she knew about the best.


	10. Episode 10

Yamato's True Feelings

After reminiscing of the day she and Mashiro met, Sophie's eyes remained closed for some time. The next thing she knew, she opened her eyes, and told of her most inner feelings of her best friend. "My first chance meeting with Mashiro was unlike any other I had experienced concerning all of my platonic relationships. It was like a warm light had begun to penetrate the darkness within my heart which was once colorless from what happened in my past, and I have never once forgotten that emanating light of purity. Yet before ever getting to introduce myself to Mashiro, my mind was already set on alternating from literature to manga thanks to the diversity of the creative and artistic careers I could choose from. It never truly mattered what path I would take in life, but my decision to convert myself into another person, someone unfamiliar while being the same identity from a few seconds ago. I was prepared to leap into a whole new mirror that hid one personality from the other, and because Mashiro stumbled upon my surroundings full of nature, I could finally become the person you see today in shining view. If not for her, I may not have been able to fall in love with Ren after our engagement was declared by both of our families. Unfortunately, nothing has been completely resolved as of this moment. Furthermore, I do not know what I should do about my own situation, but…" She sighed, closed her eyes, and her posture seemed off a bit. It was like she didn't have any energy left within her body as her shoulders collapsed in a state brimming with fatigue—even the look on her face exposed her exhaustion. Sophie began to breathe as though she had a fever running, in which her normally sophisticated self was no longer there, drained of her vitality. "Ha… nnn… ugh…"

This caught Ren's instantaneous attention as his eyes widened from his fiancée's ill state. "…! Sophie!" He was about to stand up but at the same time, he felt as if he needed to restrain himself from overdoing anything. Then, he said, "You don't look well. Are you okay?"

The turquoise-haired girl opened her eyes and let off a strained smiled as she glanced at the blond. "I'm fine, really. I was just a little tired from everything today. That's all. You do need to worry about me, Ren."

Ren found himself frowning. "But I _do_ worry about you. You're my fiancée, and evidently the woman I'm going to marry without any regrets, because…" His eyes were filled with pain as he gazed at betrothed, but he had to urge himself forward. "Because I love you more than anyone else in the world, Sophie. You mean more to me than any flower and plant I've ever seen. Without a second thought, I would also throw away my life long research if you weren't in my life. I wouldn't have any other reason to be alive if it meant you were pushing yourself too much." If Ren could conjure up the power to cry, he may have done it without any limitations on himself. But he didn't due to his docile qualities. "All I really want… is to be with you—to be by your side for as long as I can, Sophie." He shook his head. "No. What I want more than that is to embrace everything I can for both our sakes, and to overcome our struggles together, in order for the two of us to live the lives we desire. With you, I believe there is still hope to resolve your familial conflicts, and change the impossible."

As Sophie's eyes slightly widened, she understood Ren's words of enlightenment. She, too, felt they could prevail against the obstacles standing in their way [of happiness]. Shortly afterward, he placed her curled hand over her chest and stared back at her fiancé. "Ren…" She was deeply affected as well, as she loved the only man who was hers and hers to be with for infinity. "I…" She stood up from her seat, dropping her notebook on the floor when a huge pain in her chest started to torment her. She immediately clutched her fist towards her bust, leaving the sketchbook's pages flying over one another as she writhed in a resistance that sent her nerves flaring with pressure. Sophie could sense herself succumbing to her illness but was still putting her own effort into her body to keep from falling to her knees. "…!"

Without hesitation, Ren rushed to the mangaka's side. "Sophie!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to a hold of guarding, appearing like a knight who wanted to keep the woman he was in love with safe.

This seemed to have some type of effect, as Sophie was able to calm down. It was as if Ren's warmth healed her, and she was steadily regaining her breath. At the same time, Yamato had bent down and picked up the notebook containing her personal thoughts and emotions, also allowing the auburn-haired man to see what was written on the page. Ren turned his head around to look at what his friend was holding, only to be taken aback slightly by what he saw because he knew exactly what Sophie had written down. Until then, he had been the only person who truly contained knowledge of the younger girl's most inner feelings.

"...Yamato," the blond called out. "Don't read that any farther than you've already done. It's very important to me and to Sophie."

Yamato glanced at Ren with a bewildered expression. "Ren? What do you mean?"

Ren's stern appearance showed up as soon as he heard the last inquiry. "Forgive me for saying this, but I don't want you to read Sophie's journal entries that are inside the sketchbook. It's actually more painful for her than you'd think. Not many know her true feelings which have influenced her works in the past. There's a reason she wrote and published your favorite literature, but within those novels are true stories."

Sophie stirred a little and nodded in Ren's arms, signaling her awakening. She opening her eyes and acknowledged her fiancé's words. "That's correct."

Once again, Yamato's eyes widened. "Sophie? You're awake?"

Airi, who as watching with Lia and Kunihiko, frowned somewhat irritably. "Yamato, did you really just ask that? Wasn't it kind of obvious that she was recovering from her heart attack not too long ago?"

Lia, on the other hand, giggled at Yamato's obliviousness. "Heehee." She had placed her right hand [which was curled] near the side of her face. "I guess that's your focal point, Yamato-san. Being dense at a time like this is certainly charming about you. I think I finally understand what Mashiro liked about you, other than your kind nature towards her."

Yamato's eyes were still wide as he stared at the two girls, but directed his next words at the green-haired idol. "Huh? Are you psychic or something, Lia? It hasn't been long since we met and you're already spot on about everything."

Lia kept on smiling as she returned the older man's gaze. "Hmm. I don't believe you can precisely conclude that about me, but in a way, it's more of a strong intuition females tend to develop over time. It's probably because we mature at a quicker rate than men do. Still, I don't think your answer is wrong due to the fact I can easily sense a person's emotions by reading them. All it takes is one glance and I'll be able to acquire a vast amount of knowledge about them. So in other words, perhaps I _am_ like a psychic—not that I'm a hundred percent sure about that speculation. Though, there are those who have thought I was one, despite my denial about it."

"Huh…" Yamato was still mystified by what he heard, but couldn't truly reject the possibility, either. Then, he turned his focus back towards Ren and Sophie.

_But_.

The turn of events provoked the light purple-haired girl.

"Hey." Another frown was manifested on Airi's face, but this time, she was a bit angry about Yamato's actions. "Don't ignore me, Yammy!" And of course, she _had_ to call him by that nickname. "I'm still here, you know!"

Mutually, Yamato was currently irate about hearing his dreaded name being compared to a yam. With folded arms against his thoracic region, he scowled at the younger idol. "Didn't I tell you not to call me by that name? Man, you're just like Saeki. Like boyfriend, like girlfriend, huh? I guess that's more than enough to make you a 'perfect' couple." His face returned to a neutral form and his shoulders relaxed themselves. "Anyway, it's not like I try to ignore people most of the time; I'm more worried about Sophie at the moment. She wasn't feeling well, and it's something I can't leave alone because she's part of our group." He glanced back at the engaged couple with a disturbed expression spilling with anxiety all over.

Sophie looked at the auburn-haired man and smiled lightly. "You know… I'm not as weak as to ask for your concern, young man. I don't need it, either. As long as Ren's with me, then I'll be fine. This sort of thing isn't uncommon since I was born like this, anyway. However, I must thank you for your genuine amity towards me. I wasn't expecting it, but perhaps Mashiro's kindness has rubbed off on you. But you wouldn't believe her harsh character if you had met her back in high school." She glanced down at the floor before saying, "After enrolling in Seishin, she became stricter as time went on. Though this is only a presumption, Mashiro could have a personality disorder."

Almost every else in the room were astonished once they heard the last sentence; Kunihiko wasn't surprised, though.

"What?" came out of Yamato's mouth.

"Eh?" Was Lia's response.

Airi shouted, "Huh?!"

And Ren was speechless. "…" Then, he said, "…Is that true?"

Sophie frowned. "It's possible, but as a presumption, it's not likely that she has one. On the contrary, Mashiro's personality seems to be similar to that of the conscientious obsessive-compulsive personality disorder; in spite of how she is, she isn't trying to be perfect in what she does. Her strictness, on the other hand, is what attracts a person's attention, making her an incarnation of Seishin's heroism. Shuu once theorized Mashiro as Seishin's soul, a person born from the academy all of a sudden, in order to become a sword and shield unlike any other."

"What does that even mean?" Yamato's stiffness overtook him as he kept listening. "A sword and shield… Is Mashiro supposed to be a blood knight until the war is over? Is that it?"

"You're not getting the point of this," the turquoise-haired girl replied. "Airi Hirabayshi already mentioned this, but Mashiro is—" She was soon interrupted by the vibration of her cell phone, so she reached into her pocket with her left hand and flipped her mobile device open. Sophie's eyes widened after reading the message.

It read:

Sender: [Shuu Ohara]

To: Sophie Kanzaki

Subject: An Important Matter

Pardon my abrupt text, Kanzaki-san. There is something I must reveal to you. It's about Tsuneha-san, you see. I have just received information on her memory loss of the young man from before, as well as of the ordinary life she had with you all in Azabu.

…

Actually, this is far worse than I had imagined. I must also apologize to you and all of your friends for being so careless as to let her go alone with your grandmother. After I found Tsuneha-san the night she and her husband had their argument, we came back to our base. Once she explained to us what had happened, she insisted on having her memories of her carefree days erased. In return for that, she wanted her memories of her time at Seishin Academy back, and there was one conclusion she could think of at the top of her head.

…That's right. The Kanzaki estate. Neither did the rest of us, nor Tsuneha-san, know why her memories may have been hidden at the very place you dreaded. However, her intuition was accurate. We met up with your grandmother shortly after and she agreed to give our Leader's memories back on one condition: Tsuneha-san had to sacrifice her most recent memories, along with the ones before we graduation—the few days before we had any information of the abandoned factory. The reason I know this is because the butler your elder sister sent out was overwhelmed with guilt from hiding anything about it, so he met up with me and told the truth. Kanzaki-san, I do regret the fact I was not able to persuade Tsuneha-san to stir away from accepting your grandmother's wish to speak with her without any other company. I don't ask for your forgiveness, but what I do ask of you is that you will do what you believe is correct no matter what reality shoots at you. So please. Don't ever think of me as your former comrade anymore, just as a youth named Shuu Ohara.

Knowing what had to be done, Sophie's will and resolve fueled her body into pursuing a new task. She closed her flip phone and put it back in her pocket. After that, she backed out of Ren's hold and turned her head rapidly in Kunihiko's direction. "Kunihiko-sama. You left the door opened, right?"

Kunihiko was confused by the mangaka's behavior, but affirmed to her question. "Huh? Oh. Uh, yeah. Do whatever you want, Sophie."

Without an answer, Sophie picked up her pace and dashed the underground pathway, swiftly making her way to her family home. Everyone else was stunned by her abnormal change. It wasn't like her to rush into anything, yet it was flashing that they had to go after her.

And they did.

Ren and everyone else chased after Sophie, but knew she was most likely inside the residence by the time they decided to follow her. Eventually, they were finally able to go inside.

"…Man, she's fast…" Yamato panted and huffed from lack of energy. "…I can't even imagine what made her go back here. It's so far from Kuni's place."

Airi winced, leaving only her right eye opened and placing her hands on her knees. "But…" There was a huff from her. "…If she came back, it…" And another huff. "…It's gotta be really urgent…" She panted for a few more seconds before regaining her breath and standing upright. "I don't know what's going on, but I have a feeling it may be major for us. Not just for Sophie; we might have to find out about what's going on as well in the case it could be related to Shiro."

Lia nodded. "Yeah. I have a strong premonition in my chest, too. It's as if something's squeezing my heart to let me know that this could be dire."

"Ren, lead the way," Kunihiko instructed with a grim expression. He too, did not like the sensation they all had. "I think you might be able to find where Sophie is."

"Already on it," the blond replied. It was true that he had been walking forward ahead of the others, but within a matter of seconds, he came to a study, and slid the wooden door open.

Inside the room was an elderly woman in a white kimono and…

"Sophie!" Ren shouted.

It was like the two women didn't notice him or anyone else while they spoke, and they carried on their conversation.

"Tell me why you did this," the turquoise-haired girl demanded. Sophie's expression was one of calmed fury and her eyebrows were drawn together to accompany her unpleasant attitude towards the older woman in front of her.

The same woman the mangaka spoke to smiled ignorantly. Like Sophie and Cheryl, she also had turquoise hair and iced eyes, but her fringes were parted in the middle, wearing her hair in a bun on the back of her head. "Oh? Whatever do you mean, my dear grandchild? Surely, you must be weary from your time away from home. Why don't you rest here while you can before returning to your life in the city? It will cure you of your stress and brighten your spirits to a full degree."

Sophie's eyes narrowed. She was definitely not happy with her grandmother's patronizing tone. "That's not what I meant. You of all people know that and you're trying to toy with me even after all these years. But." She felt herself tremble with the utmost frustration and pent-up anger she was trying to prevent from seeping out in an explosion. "To think you would request for Mashiro to be alone with you only to erase her memories is unforgivable. I don't care if she agreed to go through with it; I just want to know the answer to all of this, starting with why you gave her that condition in the first place. I can comprehend the fact she had yearned for the day when she could remember everything from before, and yet…" Despite her boiling emotions, Sophie could sense the emergence of a sad sensation bursting within her chest. Newly formed tears began to sit on her lower eyelids before skiing down her cheeks. "She didn't have to do this… Mashiro didn't have to make any more sacrifices on herself. Although it isn't my privilege to make her choices for her, I wanted her to live a life without being bound to any duties because she… because Mashiro was always tied to the responsibilities of her family." She balled her hands into fists. "And you placed her back into those same obligations when she could have been freed from them! Your foolhardy beliefs went against Seishin Academy's former principal's will, and you did the exact opposite of what you were told, you horrible old woman!"

Sophie's grandmother frowned with gruesome dissatisfaction and narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter. "Quiet, you. I did what was right due to who she is, rather than act out and run away like you did. It is no wonder you were born as the disgrace of the family. You may be my son's precious child, but you are nothing compared to him, as well as your sister. The one who should be to blame for your reckless burden of a birth is none other than your mother. It was a good thing I chased the lot of you two out; however, the only remorse I have is the fact my son went along with you and your mother, despite my orders to keep him here. As if it wasn't heartbreaking enough, I had to raise Cheryl without a paternal figure. Only you were the one who had a set of parents to look after you, but not her. How revolting can you be to take away the very man who should have been here for your elder sister, you parasite?"

"You had Grandfather to help you, didn't you?" Sophie serenely bit back. "It's not like you raised my sister by yourself, so you don't even have the right to say there wasn't any male who brought her up to be the heiress of the family. And you also had multiple servants in the house, too. What kind of excuse must you give to defend your own pride, Grandmother?—Well? Are there really any words to add to that to fuel your pompous deed?"

Sophie's grandmother could sense her temper rising to its fullest at a rapid rate before finally letting it out on the younger of the two. "I believe I told you to be quiet, Sophie. Now that is enough out of you, do you hear me?! Don't you dare talk back to your grandmother like that you little rodent!" At that moment, she lifted her right hand up and was about to hit Sophie, who did not flinch at all.

…

Immediately as she was about to do so, someone who held Sophie dear to them blocked the attack with their corresponding hand. And that person was…

"Ren?!" Sophie herself was in disbelief that her fiancé had swiftly appeared in front of her in order to stop the trivial impact of the upcoming slap. She would not have cared if she had received the hit, but seeing Ren protect her was something she had not anticipated at any given point of her life. "Why are you here? I should be standing against my grandmother's hand, not you."

And yet, Ren did not budge. "No. You can't think like that, Sophie. Aren't you already hurt from everything that relates to your family? If you had gotten hit by your own grandmother's hand, would you still be putting up a strong front? I'm positive you wouldn't be able to muster up the courage to be as calm as you usually are if it had taken place. I know you, Sophie. I'm always with you, in mind and soul. I can sense your feelings because I'm with you, don't you understand? In truth, you don't actually want to be here; you want to avenge everything that's happened to you and your parents, but now isn't the best time for this. Don't try to solve your problems by yourself. If you can't depend on anyone, can you even depend on yourself?"

"…" Sophie knew Ren was right, but it continued to hurt her deep within since it was the truth. The next thing she was certain of was the fact her tears had come back. As she stared at the researcher's back, she said, "…It's not like I wanted this. I never wanted to be made into an exiled heiress just for being my mother's daughter, and you of all people know that, Ren. I… I've always wanted to be treated with kindness from my grandmother, but that was never achieved, so why am I the only one who's unwelcomed here? Out of the two of us, why couldn't I live a life like my sister's, even if it was only for a day? Am I not a member of the Kanzaki family? So why… does this have to be the way it is?"

Then, her grandmother grunted. "Oh, spare yourself the waterworks. Asking for better treatment from me isn't going to save you, nor will it save your friend from anything. I pity the fact you were chosen to be the young prince's bride in the first place, instead of Cheryl. She was always the most sophisticated twin, and she still is compared to you. How could his parents not pick her? She meets the _satisfaction_ of the world with no troubles, unlike you. It doesn't matter whether or not you are loved by me. You, Sophie, are simply the burden of this family. No great family needs two heiresses. Ridding the Kanzaki bloodline of your existence was an act of goodwill, not self-righteousness."

With her will pulverized by her grandmother's severe words towards her, Sophie could no longer face her. Another flood of tears streamed down her visage, and she turned around. She darted out of the room, along with the rest of the household, quickly returning to the city without a second thought.

Ren instantly knew that it was too heartwrenching to bear for the turquoise-haired girl and turned his head around when his fiancée left. "Sophie!" he called after her, running to find the girl who was always composed and refined with a tranquility like no other.

Sophie's grandmother let out a sigh. "How foolish. To become so riled up as to cause a scene in the house of all places. This is why I don't approve of her presence in my home. She does not belong here, but in the polluted airs of Tokyo with her mother, but not my son. Tsk, tsk. If only she were never born. Cheryl would have benefitted from such a fine marriage if not for her."

Just then, Yamato stepped up. "Now hold on just a second." He came from the direction of the sliding doors with a serious expression on his face. "What should it matter to you if Sophie's here? I know you're her grandmother, but still. No one should be treated the way you are towards her. That's just unjust since she's your family, and you should know better than to crush her feelings like that."

"Just who do you think you are to lecture me?" the elder woman questioned with an irate manner. "It isn't any of your business to speak to me about that wretch. She does not deserve a speck of my concern, nor should she receive any from anyone else. She is nothing more than a piece of trash who was thrown into my life, and it was all her mother's fault."

"That's not true," Yamato retorted.

"What?"

"There's no way it's not any of my business," Yamato firmly argued. "Sophie's an important part of my life, and not just mine. She's filled a huge part of Ren's void and even though I don't love her romantically like he does, I still think she's a good mentor for the of us. She's helped me realize that I shouldn't take things for granted, because… it led to Mashiro's involvement in the Seishin-Rose war between the Guardians from Seishin Academy and Rose Blade. Yet…" He paused, gazing at the cold eyes that had the ability to pierce through one's soul. "I still hope for the chance to meet my wife again no matter what. We might have had a form of miscommunication before, but I want to see Mashiro once more if possible."

"Hmm…" the Kanzaki twins' grandmother contemplated. "So, you are the Tsuneha girl's…" It wasn't difficult to notice, but her eyes were now focused on the auburn-haired man for intentionally slipping a true portion of information to her.

Sophie jolted back into Long Island and continued to make her way outside, skimming past Takao and Takamasa as they were about to turn and walk into the sports dining bar. As she kept running, they were both filled with surprise, unable to fathom what was going on. Then, they saw Ren go past them, which also confused their minds. On the other hand, they both decided to leave the couple be and entered the bar.

Within a matter of minutes, Ren had finally caught up to Sophie, taking hold of her left hand in his matching one, stopping her in her tracks. "Sophie," he called out in a softer voice than when he spoke to her earlier inside the Kanzaki residence. Before saying anything else, he stared at her. Then, he added, "Will you listen to what I have to tell you?"

It felt as though an eternity passed, but… Eventually, Sophie nodded without facing Ren. "Un. Because it's you, I'll hear you out. I won't go anywhere, so go ahead." She appeared to have reflected on some things and was waiting for her significant other to speak once more.

So, he did. After a few more seconds passed by, that was. Ren averted his gaze down a bit and said, "I know it's been tough for you to deal with your family problems, and I've also had my share of them, as you already experienced a long time ago. And yet, I want to be there for you like you the time you were there for me. Sophie, we're engaged and we've stayed that way since we were in high school. But that engagement period is nearing its end as we're still in May, and before we get married next month, I want you to rely more on me. It's true I said this perhaps a bit too late. However—I really do feel this way and not towards just anyone—only to you, Sophie." He smiled faintly and inquired, "Do you know why? I've told you many times already and I'll continue to confess this to you: My heart beats faster and faster than it did before I met you solely because of my love for you. You alone are able to move my very being without having to do much, and even when you become drastic, your actions and behavior have an ecstatic effect on me to the point where I feel as though I have achieved an exploding sensation where my heart is—like a cardiac firework show inside my chest." Indeed, the blond felt his cheeks budding with shades of pink as he kept smiling tenderly. "I love you, my darling May flower, my one and only love, Sophie Kanzaki. No matter how many times we encounter one another in this cycle of life and beyond, I'll always save my affections for you."

Instantaneously, the sound of laughter was brought to Sophie's lips; she held her right hand by the side of her face, creating a gesture full of cute and sweet happiness. "Haha, that's so cheesy, Ren; when and where have I heard the cardiac words of your love before?" She had already turned around a bit to look at the researcher she was in love with dearly. "At the same time, doesn't it make you feel disgusted saying and hearing them out loud? If anyone like Airi Hirabayashi heard that come out of your mouth, they'd be pretty appalled, you know. Think about what you're gonna say before actually speaking any words." The turquoise-haired girl was quite amused to listen to those strangely sweet words which she heard once before during the days the two of them had been together years ago. Her facial expression relaxed and she added, "But thanks for loving me the way you do, Ren. You make your love for me sound so weird, it's like I'm the only one who can understand what you're trying to imply, even if it's a little repulsive for some people to decipher the meaning behind it. Likewise, I love you more than I would have ever imagined." Sophie's shoulders fell as if a load was finally taken off of them, and she paused before making her way in to Ren's arms which slowly wrapped around her. Feeling the transfer of thermal energy from her fiancé's chest to hers, she closed her eyes and buried her face onto her lover's chest. Seeing as Ren knew there were unfinished words on the mangaka's part, he allowed her to resume. "I was always afraid," the exiled heiress told him. "I wanted to depend on you more than anything, but I didn't want you to see me at my weakest state. It was the most painful decision I made while I was hesitating to let you know about my own troubles, rather than confronting them. So, thank you for everything—for being by my side and for caring about how I felt all this time. I love you more than anyone else in the world, Ren. I always will."

As Sophie entangled her arms around Ren's back, the blond gave himself away, permitting himself to embrace the one he loved with silent regard for her. The time they spent holding each other was like that of eternity, but only for two as close and affectionate as they were to their betrothed.

Takamasa and Takao, on the contrary, were still unsure of what they witnessed earlier, as they stayed inside the quiet bar, pondering where Kunihiko and the others could have gone to.

"Huh…" Takamasa had a perplexed expression on his face. "Guess everyone's got unfinished business at the moment. The thing is," his eyes lowered and wasn't very… _energetic _to know he was all alone. With Takao. He frowned unpleasantly, "my girlfriend isn't here when I'm around, but you're here with me, so there's got to be one explanation. Do you know what it is?" He had not even glanced at the lawyer who was standing next to him.

"Uh…" Takao trailed off with a dumbfounded look. Then, he laughed fretfully with closed eyes. "Sorry. Can you just tell me already what you're thinking of? I have no clue as to what you really need to say."

Again, without shifting his eyes' focus at Takao, the scriptwriter continued his speech. "Elementary, my honorable partner in crime!—my substitute for Watson, you are!" His manner of talking was as deep as a detective's, and was certainly peculiar for even his usual character. "Alas, I must reveal to you what your mind cannot envision. So, I will tell you finally: Airi, along with Kuni, Yamato and the others may be down where my fellow friend Kanzaki once resided for a short time. To paraphrase it for your ears of stupidity to hear, all of our comrades are at the Kanzaki household right now, excluding Kanzaki herself and Ren." He turned his head to his left, giving Takao a staid visage. "Do you now understand?" he asked in a smooth tone of voice, as though he were quite the sexy actor one would see on a drama series.

Takamasa's voice changes surprised and shocked the lawyer, who nodded. "Yeah, well, let's get going, shall we?" Takao's eyes had the sensation of almost popping like bubblegum that was blown to a full bubble, and he was putting an effort into keeping himself from giving away with utmost astonishment.

Satisfied, the handsome scriptwriter grinned and closed his eyes before making his way with his dense friend to the door in the back of the bar.

While still inside one of the plentiful rooms of the Kanzaki estate, Yamato gazed into the icy eyes of the elder woman. He was not afraid of her, but was cautious as to what he would say next.

"Although I was rude to have told you my personal opinions towards your granddaughter," he responded, "I do not believe you can take your own blood relations lightly, especially when she's so young. Like everyone else in the group we belong to, Sophie is still maturing into an adult with her own life and emotions. Her feelings are just as important as anyone else's, and no one could replace her, nor can anyone take away Mashiro's place. There is also something I want to ask of you, if you'll allow me to, of course." His eyes clearly showed how much he desired to at least give an enquiry, and even Sophie's grandmother could sense his longing to ask.

So, she replied to the auburn-haired teacher in front of her. "What is it, husband of the Tsuneha girl? Surely, you must be dying to question me of something dire to you, so get out with it and throw the beans down already. My soul is not very patient with the likes of that little scoundrel's weight here from before, and it still wishes to snipe at her."

Yamato nodded, and requested, "Is it true you erased Mashiro's memories of her time in Tokyo as a girl who came to live out a new life there?" His anguished curiosity caught the better of him, and he knew as long as the circumstances surrounding him bore any trace of his wife's previous presence, he would like to find out what he could—as much as he could—about her. Mashiro meant more than the entire universe to him, and the urge to see her again was far too great for his core to take. "I… I hadn't realized how I truly felt towards her until she disappeared from my world, but as of each passing split second, I want to know as much as I can about her. I've always been a foolish person to take everything for granted and use what I could as tools—as if they were nothing but a benefactor for me. But not anymore. No matter what reason you had to do what you did, I'll keep searching for my prayers to be answered. It's because she's too irreplaceable to me, and to Sophie and everyone else she's met that I'm saying these words. Mashiro became the center of my world, which is why I want to learn about her in hopes of remembering her. You may think it's none of my concern, but I beg to differ. After all, Mashiro someone who can never be erased in anyone's mind, spirit, heart, and that goes for everyone who's ever loved her for who she is, including myself."

With only a cold, stoic expression on her face, Sophie's grandmother frowned. "I see." She admitted, "It's true that she allowed herself to have me erase her memories for the sake of cooperating with her former schoolmates. Nevertheless, she is the successor of her family, and as a Tsuneha, she must abide by what fate has decreed for her. It has always been her duty to lead the Guardians she is affiliated with and protect her mother's legacy. She herself could never fight against what is inevitable. Without a doubt, even today, her late mother is watching over her, guarding her from getting killed."

Yamato's eyes widened. "? Mashiro's mother…?"

"Oh?" the old woman of the Kanzaki family spurted out. "Do you not know her mother was the former principal of the academy?"

Yamato frowned sternly. "Of course not. Mashiro never mentioned anything about it. But about what you just said… Could she really be her mother? And what about Mashiro's father?" His questions swirled around in his head, trying to make sense of what he heard. "What role could he have towards Seishin Academy and Mashiro?"

"Rather than interrogating me about the Tsuneha girl, why don't you look into her family background when everything is over between her band of soldiers, and that criminal organization called Rose Blade?" It was clear to Sophie and Cheryl's grandmother what was more important at the moment, but Yamato knew for a fact that she was right. There was never enough time to find out everything one desired, only to utilize whatever someone had wisely.

"…" the auburn-haired man glanced at those same pale, icy-cold eyes which could freeze anything in their path and nodded to himself. He knew, he had at least one more thing to say. "I need to reassert myself. Once again, I'll declare my love for Mashiro. In front of you, and everyone else who may be listening." He stopped for a few seconds, but then, he was fully prepared to speak his following words. "I love Mashiro, my wife. She has become my one and only love, and has always been since the night I met her. I was pretty dense when it came to my feelings for her at the beginning, but somehow, I knew a part of me couldn't resist being with her, so I stole her first kiss while she was sleeping, and let myself fall in love for the first time. I denied my love for her when everyone teased me, but that didn't stop me from entangling my central focus towards her, and it still hasn't. Contrary to what anyone thinks about my feelings for her, I can't give her up, and I won't. Because I miss her, and I want to see her once more, my heart will never change for Mashiro. She has all of my fond affection, and that's something no other woman has a hold of." He smiled since everything he said was accurate, and he was proud of himself for acknowledging those emotions that were once buried deep within him. "If she had never been in my life, I would not have known what it was like to love someone, and I would never had coped with what drove me to be the person I was before I met her."


	11. Episode 11

Planning for a Resolution

Yamato stared into the eyes of Sophie and Cheryl's grandmother, and knew. There was something he needed to make out and announced to everyone who was listening to their conversation. "Pardon me for a little, but I have to say this no matter what. For those who may be dropping in on what I have to say, there's just one thing I need to make clear." As he kept on gazing into the pale ice-like eyes that looked upon him, he said, "My love for Mashiro is far too great to be left alone. Ever since the night I met her, I was sure she was the one for me, but I was too hardheaded to even notice how I felt back then. Even so, I imparted my first kiss on her while she was asleep, and I stole hers along with it. It was then that I could sense my own heart opening up to her in order to allow my selfish ego to fall in love for the first time in my life. Although I continued to deny my feelings for her whenever someone would bring up the fact I was in love with her, I was unable to resist against my budding emotions. Despite what anyone says about how I feel towards my wife, I can never throw away what my heart wants, and I want to be with Mashiro for as long as I am here in this life, and further than that, too. I was arrogant to think that I could get away with what I planned out for myself, but it shattered my relationship with the woman I love." The auburn-haired man's voice shook. "I don't want to lose Mashiro ever again, so I'm willing to risk anything to see her one more time, if that's all I can ever do to have my wish granted. No other woman could replace her because every bit of my affection goes solely to her and her only." That was when he finally found himself smiling with a fond love for his wife. "Because she came to live and aid me with my ordeal, I was happy to be with her. I was also able to gain the ability to love her without knowing everything about her, and she was the one who gave me the power to confront my hatred for my father and rid my entire being of it, so I could accept and understand the true person within him. I could finally love my dad thanks to her."

The elderly woman frowned after hearing Yamato's loving words towards Mashiro. "You. How can it be that you can say those words so easily, a feat which you yourself have done without much trouble?"

This prompted Yamato to shake his head. "No. It's not any trouble for me at all since I truly do feel that way when it comes to Mashiro. She, and my friends made me realize what I had been missing all my life, and I decided to become someone who could reflect on my emotions because of them. If they weren't here for me, I would probably have never changed the person I was up until now. So," he smile once more with gratitude, "I'm glad I had the opportunity to reflect on what I needed to enhance from within my true self. I was basically an empty shell before I met my wife and her friends, but now, I'm content enough with everything as it is."

Kunihiko, who was behind the sliding door with Lia and Airi, was touched by what he heard from the auburn-haired man, who was like an immature kid before then. Yet at the same time, he felt his heart twinge in pain. "Yamato…"

_So the date has finally arrived when he would be able to stand on his own two feet without getting beaten down, _the purple-haired man smiled gently, acknowledging his young companion's step to maturity. He chuckled for less than a couple (remember, a couple means two, instead of several in case you guys thought the term meant something else) seconds. _He's become such a splendid youth with Mashiro's company that I never thought I'd hear those beautiful words come out of his mouth in all the years I've looked after him and the rest of the guys. Could it be that Yamato has gotten a brighter outlook on everything around him? If that is what has taken place, then I hope he'll stay that way for the better._

As the IT company CEO concluded his thoughts and left the Kanzaki estate to return to Long Island, Sophie and Ren, who had also heard Yamato's proclamation towards the love of his life, appeared suddenly. The turquoise-haired girl slid the right half of the doors open and went into the study.

Sophie glanced at Yamato, her eyes full of mixed emotions. "…" Without further delay, tears began to manifest in her eyes and trembled down her fairly pale visage. "I'm the same way. I love Mashiro with all my heart as well!" Her body quavered; the tears didn't stop, not once during her speech. "Even if Mashiro changes back to her former self, my feelings won't. After all, there's no possibility of me hating her or even holding a grudge towards her because…" She clenched her hands into the shape of fists as she stared at the floor, and shifted her gaze to her grandmother. "She's my one and only best friend—the one person who has ever put an effort into knowing who I am before I met anyone else who became important to me. And I also love Ren, but more than I love Mashiro, or even my love for Lia as friends. Airi Hirabayashi and Yamato Kougami are different; however, they still hold some kind of meaning to me, as well as everyone else I was able to meet in Azabu at Kunihiko-sama's bar." She also confessed, "I found the courage to speak against you more than I ever did because I was able to encounter those who held out their hands to me."

The most prominent figure of the Kanzaki family, along with the village she resided in, narrowed her eyes in frustration and scorn. "How is it that you of all the pests in the entire universe could stand up to someone as respected as myself? My own eyesore of a grandchild, you are, Sophie. You do not belong here, and you have never held a profound place in my heart. So long as you are near me I cannot accept you as someone valuable to this village of peace and tranquility. Your words of tenderness for the Tsuneha girl do not appease me, yet you dare to let your feelings be known in front of myself? Hah!" The twins' grandmother mocked. "Such buffoonery should be dissipated. What you hold for your peers does not matter to this family, but only to yourself, you conceited imbecile!"

"…" The exiled heiress did not care what her own flesh and blood spat at her. On the other hand, she was confident enough to guard her spirit from being defeated in front of the woman who loathed her more than anything else in the world.

That was when a voice only members of the Kanzaki family [and Ren] knew, spoke and surprised everyone in the household.

"Well, what's wrong with that?" The voice belonged to an elderly man, who came into the study from another section of the residence, a sliding door to the portion of the room near the turquoise-haired old woman from her right. Still, the man before the audience in and outside the study, had a nice and pleasant smile implanted on his face, being more lenient than his wife as he glanced at the younger twin of his family. "If my ears don't deceive me, I was given the chance to hear the most striking and stunning words of romance and friendship from a couple of youngsters here." He closed his eyes, keeping his kind smile for everyone to behold. "Is that not so, Sophie?"

The mangaka's eyes widened. "Grandfather, when did you come back?" Her expression transformed into one of sadness, but simultaneously, she was glad to see the gray-haired man. "I missed your presence while I was away…"

"Saburo-san…!" Ren exclaimed, astonished by the warmhearted elder's existence in the estate. It had also been a while since the blond saw his fiancée's grandfather, which could not be helped in the researcher's case. "What brings you here, of all places?"

Saburo Kanzaki opened his eyes to look at the engaged couple. "I was finished with my business, so I wanted to go back home as quickly as I could. And along the way," he turned his head to his left, taking a look at Yamato, "I heard something wonderful from that young man over there." He averted his attention to Sophie and resumed with his tender smile. "Why, I also heard the greatest feat from the granddaughter I had not seen in a while, and it made me so proud to have a gentle, yet reserved member of my own family to profess her feelings for you all, as well as for her lost friend, become a fine young lady of honor and care. I didn't realize how mature Sophie became until I listened after my return. Does it not appeal to you that she's quite the lovely and ideal partner to have, Prince Leonard Silver?" He gazed into Ren's eyes and was truly happy to see the people he knew, including Yamato, who was without a doubt, unfamiliar to him.

Ren nodded and smiled back. "Yes. Sophie's personality is what attracts me to her, so I don't mind taking the responsibility of treasuring her with my whole being. I'll also take care of her for the rest of our lives and continue to love her with each heart beat I have in this life and when I'm reincarnated with her. So of course, I have no second thoughts about marrying her soon."

"Is that so?" the male head of the Kanzaki family said. He certainly approved of the couple in front of him. "Then, that's all that truly matters to me. As long as the two of you can find happiness with one another, my heart will be at ease. Don't you think so, Tsubaki?" he turned to face his wife, who was one of the coldest human beings anyone has ever encountered.

The snake-like lady turned away to her left. "Hmph. Whatever you say, Dear. I still don't like this end result, even if _you_ are comfortable with this arrangement." Her words backed up her dislike for her granddaughter's engagement to Ren.

Then, Cheryl arrived and walked into the room from the same door Saburo had gone through. "Grandmother, how stubborn can you be?" Though the older twin was as stoic as ever, she turned to Ren and Sophie's direction and apologized. "Forgive me for not being able to be here for you, Sophie, Ren. I was at a meeting and was informed that the Guardians are doing fine, but are preparing for another battle against their opponent."

Yamato's eyes widened as he glanced to his left at the other turquoise-haired girl. "…" Then, he smiled softly. "So I see. Mashiro and that Ohara guy are doing okay, after all."

Cheryl nodded to the auburn-haired man. "Yes. No major casualties have been inflicted on their side so far. Rose Blade has, on the contrary, lost many of their soldiers, but they aren't willing to admit defeat until the end."

Suddenly, Lia strolled in leisurely with an assured smile. She was carrying her cell phone in her right hand as she did so. "Then, it's my turn to help out, isn't it?" She had something up her sleeve—a fact she had yet to reveal to everyone. "I was waiting for the right time to barge in since you guys kept going on about Mashiro and the rest of us, so I wanted to make sure I heard as much as I could until now. Anyway, sorry for being so late. I'll call Daddy over so we can all come up with a plan together, alright?"

Airi narrowed her eyes, a bit annoyed and irritated by the green-haired idol's swift call for action, and entered the area. "Like you were doing anything back here, Lia. We were practically listening to everything without a whole lot of interference. Geez! You took so long that I was going crazy standing with you outside. What's wrong with you? I was sure we were going to die together from exhaustion!"

Lia glanced over her shoulder as she turned her head towards her light purple-haired friend. "What's the harm with staying outside the room to wait for everyone else to finish what they have to say, Airi? It's not like you were doing much, either. But, hey. I just felt like we needed to know what was going on before making any moves. Didn't you feel the same way back there?"

"Well, yeah," Airi frowned with her eyebrows still drawn towards the center of her face. "But sometimes, you're really sketchy, you know that? Doing everything as you please at any moment. Who the hell do you think you are?"

Lia sweat-dropped as she tolerated the other idol's rudeness. "You're such an idiot. But a loveable one at that."

_I guess I can't help but admire her for being stupid at a time like this, _she thought. _And look who's behind her, too. _She gave an inward sigh, not opening her mouth to exhale. _Oh, well. I'll just let everything slide for now._

"So, what did we just miss?" Takao blinked, mouth wide open from confusion. "We came to find you guys, and passed Kuni on the way here, by the way."

Takamasa chuckled. "Sorry we weren't here for some time. We had some errands to take care of. And please try to ignore Takao. He's got… a bad case of 'I'm an airhead' that's been infecting him since he was a kid. Hehe." He laughed again after finishing his part.

Lia shrugged. "It's fine. You were just in time for us to gather, so don't worry about it."

Airi turned around. "Taka-kun, you're late, you know? We were in here for hours now." As always, she was blunt about everything she could find.

The scriptwriter waved his right hand slightly back and forth while grinning at his lover. "Sorry, sorry. It took longer to get back than I had imagined. Yuta's on his way here, too, so try to be a bit more patient this time. We've been getting sidetracked by work, my love."

Airi pouted, but answered with, "Mm… Okay. I'll wait."

Lia glanced at her flip phone's screen and nodded with satisfaction. "Here goes nothing!" She had already looked up her father on her phone list and pushed the call button with her thumb.

Takao smiled at the sight he saw relaxed his shoulders for the time being. "I hope everything will go well."

Yamato stared at the lawyer and smiled once more. "Yeah, I do too."

Half an hour later, Yuta, along with Kunihiko and a man with a young yet mature appearance, joined the group around a huge, round table in another one of the plentiful chambers of the main house the Kanzaki family owned. The man who was with them turned out to be Lia's father, Isamu Kurumada. With his handsome looks, he had black hair and wore a suit of the same color as he was seat with everyone else who were present.

"Looks like everyone's here," Isamu breathed with a calm manner. He certainly gave off the air of a warm person, and was suited for taking his time to unwind while having a cup of tea in his hand, instead of staying in the traditional-style mansion which was older than the Kanzaki elders were. "With that said, I have some news for you all. I'm sure you've probably figured out what I have to tell you, but along with my partner, I've tracked down the whereabouts of the Seishin Guardians and Rose Blade."

"Really?" Yamato asked, his eyes were wide open as a spark of curiosity filled his eyes and the rest of his body. "This… isn't a joke, right?" He was having some difficulty believing what the man sitting across from his side announced.

Yuta reassured his friend with a casual grin. "It's true. You might not expect it, but Isamu's an undercover agent who's been affiliated with Seishin Academy with his partner for over two decades now. I didn't want to spoil it, so I kept quiet this whole time."

Takamasa smirked. "Who would have thought this was possible? Seems like you have secrets that even _we_ don't know about, Yuta. You'll have to spill the beans for us later." He was certainly amused with finding this out so abruptly.

"I guess there's more than meets the eye," Airi noted. "Even I never knew anything about this, yet you and Lia did? No wonder you're an interesting person, Yuta. To think you guys were hiding this without anyone suspecting a thing… It kind of makes me jealous that you never told us until now."

"Well, I'm not the only one who has secrets in our group," the comedian replied. "Kuni's got more to him than you would think. Remember the underground tunnel to this place? There's still so much we don't know about him, and it makes people like you and I wonder what else he could be keeping from us. He even tricked Yamato into marrying Mashiro in the first place, and the poor guy didn't know a thing until it was brought up!" Nonetheless, Yuta was indeed accurate one way or another. Yamato himself couldn't agree any less. "But let's give Isamu some room to talk about what he has to let us know."

The man who was going to be the curly-haired youth's future father-in-law nodded. Next, he told of his knowledge of the two adversaries. "Ohara-kun has revealed to me that the war will end soon between both of them, so this battle will be their last. While the Seishin Guardians are preparing for it, they are allowing Tsuneha-kun to get enough time to rest and restore her energy, so she can participate in the final portion of the Seishin-Rose war against Rose Blade's leader. I suggest for you all to come and join in as well in order to save her from having to do anything to her opponent—at least, that is what Ohara-kun has requested due to his wish to keep her from getting hurt from a fatal wound." He stared at Yamato with his stern expression. "You understand what this means, don't you, Yamato-kun?"

Yamato wasn't completely comprehensive as to what the black-haired man meant, but he had a foreboding sensation blooming in his chest. "But why would he want to do this? It's not like Mashiro can't protect herself since she knows how to counterattack anyone who gets in her way. I believe she'll be able to defeat any of her enemies no matter what obstacle she has to fight against, so why does he have to ask us to help her out?" He couldn't combat his confusion and frustration, which were egging on deep within him.

Sophie instantly realized something. "Is Mashiro going to confront Iroha by herself?"

Everyone except Isamu, Lia, Yuta, Cheryl, Ren, Saburo, Tsubaki and Kunihiko were alert by what they just heard.

"Eh?" Airi said. "But, that can't be! Shiro's not going to let anyone aid her in defeating Iroha?"

Takamasa frowned. "It must be serious enough for those two to have a one-on-one match, then. If all else, it's a battle to the death."

Takao nodded gravely. "That's got to be the reason that guy wants to get Mashiro to safety. For her sake, we'll need to oblige to this at all costs."

_And I haven't even told the guys anything yet, _the lawyer said to his inner self. _I'll have to continue to play the role of innocence for a bit longer in order to protect everyone. Yamato, hang in there. You have to, or else we might not get another chance to reunite with Mashiro._

Was Takao somehow involved in anything? No one truly knew what went on in his head, but Takamasa stared at him while he (Takao) had his head at the table surface.

Kunihiko frowned. "So, what will we be doing?" He wasn't particularly interested in the conversation but was still listening. "There must be something else you want to say, Isamu."

Lia's father glanced at the purple-haired man and smiled. "I've already spoken with my partner about this, but she will be meeting up with us tomorrow around five a.m. to go over the plan. I'm not exactly asking you to trust me, but she'll be able to help us end the war for good."

"Look," the bar owner gazed into the honey brown eyes Isamu had. "I don't care what happens during the final battle, but let me tell you this." He looked down with concern and a hint of grief. "I've always thought Mashiro would have been better off without me, and even today, I hold that to be true. I'm not her father, and I've never been. Despite that, I really think of her like a daughter. I took care of her while you were too busy to spend time with her, and I know how much she means to you—and to…" He shook his head. "No. I'm not going to say it when she's right here. I'm at fault for this as well, and it was because of me that she grew up not knowing the whole truth about herself along with her past. And yet… Mashiro is still important to me. At the very least, I want her to live a peaceful life after everything is over."

Isamu's focus didn't falter as he kept smiling. "What are you saying, Kunihiko? Of course you're not her father, but you at least _tried_ to be a good guardian for her. But I won't forgive you for admitting this to me since you've never truly taken 'care' of her like an actual parent. You do realize that you don't have a wife and kids, right? So, it's not up to you to decide what you want for her. She has her own feelings that shouldn't have been messed with, you know." He turned towards the rest of the group. "Anyway, please prepare yourselves for this battle. It's going to go by faster than you think since we're dealing with both Seishin Academy's saviors and Rose Blade. As long as we can get Tsuneha-kun out of harm's way and ensure the end of this war, we can move on from the past. What do you say?"

Everyone from the Long Island group looked at Isamu and nodded with a mutual agreement.

Saburo glanced at the well-dressed man and bowed after he stood up from his seat. "Please take care of my granddaughter and her fiancé. I'd at least like to see them get married when June comes by."

"Of course," Isamu responded with another smile. "I'll have Nori stay with them during the battle, so you don't have to worry about a thing."

Tsubaki looked at Isamu with her icy eyes. "It's going to a pain to have that girl alive and running, Mr. Kurumada. I don't expect your partner to keep her away from danger, but as long as the prince survives, all will be well." She left the room, not wanting to speak any further about Sophie.

"Your wife doesn't change, does she?" Isamu noted without altering his expression. "It's a shame she doesn't like your daughter-in-law and younger granddaughter, Saburo-san."

The elderly man displayed an eye smile for the younger man. "Tsubaki is very cruel to them indeed, Isamu-kun. I truly regret the fact I couldn't be a better father figure for Hiromi, but it seems she is doing well with my son in Shinjuku. Alas, I can't help but wish for the better for my family."

"I feel the same way." Isamu's eyes lowered and he was somewhat lost in thought. "It may be too late to tell my daughter this, but I love her more than anything now that my wife is gone. I miss her and I want to see her again soon."

Saburo looked at the black-haired man and mentioned, "By the way, your son-in-law said the most romantic words I have ever heard towards your daughter." He chuckled and added, "He is an intriguing youngster to have professed his love in front of my wife. Are you going to see him?"

"Not at the moment, but later on," Isamu smiled sadly. He lowered his head to face the tatami mats before sighing. "I can't introduce myself to him yet, but I will when the time comes."

The gray-haired elder placed his right hand on Isamu's shoulder. "Everything will be alright, Isamu-kun. You won't have to be conflicted once the war is brought to peace."

"I hope so. If only I could go back to the days when my family was happy."

_Kunihiko, _he called out in his mind with the resolve he has kept to himself for several years. _I won't forgive you. I will bring you down for what you've taken away from me, and I will reclaim what my wife, Lia and I have lost. You will pay for your crimes, and I'll get Mashiro back no matter what. How dare you mess with my family like that. I'll make sure to turn you in once I get my daughter back from this, without a doubt._

As he stood up from his seat, Yamato noticed the expression that was blazed with a despise unlike any other on Isamu's face. But even though he felt like something was wrong, he didn't try to pry into what could have caused the levelheaded nature of the black-haired man to twist with fury.

_I don't know what's going on in Mr. Kurumada's head, but my gut is telling me it has something to do with how he and Kuni were acting when they spoke to each other._

"Yamato, are coming or not?" Airi called out as she and the others were about to leave the Kanzaki estate.

This snapped the auburn-haired man back to reality. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'll be right behind you guys, so don't worry about me." He hurried after his group of friends and ran after them, but still felt worried about the man who may have had a connection to him and Mashiro.


	12. Episode 12

Reunion; Remembrance: The Feelings and Memories that Will Never Fade

**Author's Note**

** Just a notice before you guys read the chapter. This is actually the longest one I've been working on. It was finished later than I had planned on but there are several parts to it. So please take your time to read it and try to support the fanfic. I worked as hard as I could on this chapter because it goes along with the plot. Completing this story took a lot of time and consideration, but if need be, you guys may or may not need some tissues to go along with it.**

A few minutes before it was five a.m. the morning after the hours of night ended not too long ago, Isamu met up with Lia, Yuta, Yamato and the others of the Long Island group (excluding Kunihiko) out in the streets right in front of the sports dining bar of the same name, and with the handsome man with black-hair, was a woman in her late thirties who still appeared to be over a decade younger in the looks department. The same woman was at least beautiful in appearance and had long black hair that flowed straight past her waist and dark blue eyes, and wore a black suit fitted for any female who was as slim as her.

Then, Isamu smiled lighty and introduced his partner. "Everyone, this is Nori Tanaka. She's the one I mentioned hours ago during our meeting at the Kanzaki residence, and for those who may not know this, she is also an undercover agent for Seishin Academy like myself, as well as," he glanced at the mangaka and brought up a small yet true piece of information, "the editor for Sophie-kun's manga series, and has been with her since she began writing her literature novels." The next thing everyone knew, he showed them a proud eye smile that was genuine, something that may have been the rarest sight anyone had ever seen from a grown man.

Yamato's eyes widened as he stared at Lia's father. His breath was taken away by such a beauty not every man in the world could ever be gifted with.

_His smile… _the auburn-haired man thought. _It's just like Mashiro's. Or maybe, Mashiro's smile is just like his. But how? Could he be someone who's related to her? Then again, Lia doesn't even have a single feature that matches her father, yet Mashiro's eyes are the same color as his. Just who exactly… is Mr. Kurumada?_

Yamato's eyes lowered as he got deeper into his inner quiet place. _Isamu Kurumada… Mashiro Tsuneha… No, wait. She's technically Mashiro Kougami now, but she doesn't even remember that we met each other and got married. But how are they connected, if there _is_ something between them? I'm feeling a similar warmth just by comparing them in my head, and it makes me sad for some reason, like something could have happened to separate Mashiro and… Her father? But then… are they even… No, that couldn't be, right? I mean, Kuni and Mashiro already said that her parents are dead._

_ And yet… I have a feeling that Kuni is hiding some far worse than the reality of Mashiro's amnesia. _He had a serious expression and felt his own heart waver. _Something… has to be missing in this puzzle, but… what? What could Kuni possibly be keeping from everyone? I have to get to the bottom of this, but I also need to get to Mashiro as fast as I can. What do I even do—what _should_ I do? I don't know anymore, but I'll make sure to reunite with the love of my life, no matter what…!_

"Yamato-kun," Isamu smiled calmly, "are you listening?"

That was when Yamato jolted up a bit on the inside. "What? Huh… Oh, yeah. I guess." He rubbed the back of his head.

Then, Nori giggled, placing her curled right hand near the side of her face. "He was actually teasing you. Don't mind Isamu, though. We were all staring at your troubled expression after he noticed you were spacing out. Is something the matter, Yamato-san?"

"Ah." The second Yamato realized how embarrassing the situation was, he apologized quickly. "Sorry, guys. I know I'm wasting your time here."

Lia smiled at the sight of the redhead being sincere towards all of them. "It's fine. I don't mind since we still have time to go over the plan and start."

Nori nodded. "Un, sou da ne. First off, I'll have Takamasa-kun and Airi-san go ahead and disable anyone who gets in the way. Second, Sensei (Sophie due to her mangaka position and status as a former literature author) and Ren-kun will head out after them. Yamato-san, you'll be going with Isamu, Yuta and Lia, while I stay behind with the others. Excuse me for not having the occasion to lead you into the battle." With a reassuring smile, she permitted herself to relax her shoulders. "However, you shouldn't worry about a thing. Isamu is a reliable and stealthy companion to have around, just like his daughter who's superb at leading people to victory."

In an instant, Yamato knew the true meaning of those final words, but didn't pursue in questioning about them because he understood the truth behind his urge to find out more about the mysterious aura he sensed from Isamu. So, he nodded back.

Airi and Takamasa took off at a rapid pace with Nori, Sophie and Ren going after her. Isamu, on the other hand, reminded the remaining three something.

"If any of you need to take a quick break, now is the time to do so," he told. "We'll be heading out shortly after them to give those five some time to get a head start. Alright?" He glanced in the direction his comrade had gone off to, allowing whoever needed to do finish what they wanted a few moments.

Yamato realized something at that moment. "…"

_Now that I think about it, _he said to himself, _I'm too nervous thanks to the fact everyone was looking at me while I was pondering off about my own suspicions. And I really need to go to the bathroom, so I better get to it._

He turned around and walked into the bar his baseball coach owned, then stopped after entering via the double doors. "Kuni…" He was concerned as to what the IT CEO could have been doing.

_He's not going with us, _the science teacher comprehended. _What is he thinking about at a time when we're all so intent on ending this war between the Guardians and Rose Blade? Is he… okay? I know I shouldn't be thinking about him right now, but… He's always been important to me. Kuni…_

"You better come back to us," Yamato stated aloud, feeling depressed that he couldn't say anything to the purple-haired man before he left with Isamu and the others.

At that time, Isamu was waiting for Yamato. In addition, he gazed at Lia and Yuta before giving them a command. "Lia, Yuta. You two go on without me. I'd like to go alone with Yamato-kun for this mission. I'll lead him to the final stage while I'm at it, so do your parts and let's meet up again when the time arrives."

The green-haired girl smiled fondly at her father. "Un. Okay, Dad. Then, we'll be off. Take care of him for us, okay?"

Isamu smiled back. "…You don't have to tell me that. It's my job to do what I can to ensure his well-being. Good luck to you, and to my next soon-to-be son-in-law." He looked at the curly-haired young man with that same smile of his. "Make sure to bring her and yourself back. I don't want any one of you two to return with a broken heart, or to find out that you pair of lovers have died together. Got that?"

"Well, that wouldn't be a happy ending for any of us, would it?" Yuta smiled cleverly. "Of course, I won't let Rose Blade get in the way of the love Lia and I share. I hope that answers your question, Isamu. I mean, Father."

Isamu grinned. "Am I really that old to you?"

Yuta tilted his head to his right. "If you weren't, I don't think Lia would be here today with me." The comedian was amazingly radiating with confidence. "So, are you going to break it to Yamato later?"

The mature, good-looking man put his right hand in his pants' front pocket. "I'll tell him everything I can, but it'll be hard for him to make the decision to aid us in defeating Kunihiko. All in all, I want to get the chance to properly introduce myself to Yamato-kun when the battle has been sealed." He shifted his gaze towards Lia with a few temporary parting words. "Try not to push yourself too much, Lia. This might be the last time you'll ever be able to do what your body allows you to."

Lia nodded, knowing her father's concern for her. "Un, thanks for everything you've done for me up until now, Daddy. I'll keep that in mind. Bye, for now."

Yuta had already walked a few steps ahead of his girlfriend, but took her hand once she caught up to him. Together, they ran to where the last battle between Rose Blade and the Seishin Guardians was being held. Once they were out of sight, Yamato came out from Long Island and was greeted by Isamu.

"It's good to see you," the elite man kept his cool, an envious trait of his. "Lia and Yuta went to the hideout while you were finishing up your business. Are you ready to head there?"

Yamato looked into those honey eyes and fathered his feelings into one resolve—the very surge of energy that changed him into the person he currently was. He kept himself composure and confirmed his determination. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two men soon dashed to Rose Blade's outing in order to get to the most essential location where Mashiro and Iroha would face off against the other to end the war. On their way there, Yamato had a premonition tug at his chest as though his worst nightmare would indulge itself by the time he could finally do anything about it.

Meanwhile, Nori and the others reached a storage room and stopped in their tracks for a bit. The area was chockfull of black cases, or boxes that each reflected the hue of an onyx and carried something inside. She then scanned their surroundings to make sure no one was going to hinder the plan.

"It appears to be that no one is here," she apprehended upon the last part of her search. "Could they all be creating a massacre in which many lives are being taken to the other world as we dwell in this room?"

"What is this place?" Takamasa inquired, astonished by the numerous loads stacked on one another. "This is far too real for my eyes to handle." The spectacle was very exclusive for him—much more than when a staff was working on a movie set.

Ren stared at the boxes and knew what they were. "…! These are weapon cases."

"Huh?" This caught the scriptwriter off-guard. "Weapon cases?"

"That is correct," Nori affirmed. She walked to where the blond was standing and to one of the containers in front of him. "They are used to maintain weapons that so any person is able to combat their foes at any given fragment of time, especially in emergencies. Due to this last battle as being one of a dire need, we'll have to find whatever is available to us. Several members of Rose Blade have most likely taken out almost all of the ones in these cases, but just find a way to compromise with what's left." She pulled open the box she had been aiming for and took out the silver rifle that laid inside. A smile formed on her face. "Perfect. This is precisely what I needed."

Sophie glanced at her fiancé and asked, "Ren, what do you think would suit you?"

"I'm not sure," the blond replied. "He tilted his head to his right. "Perhaps a sword? I recall there were many of them in both our family homes, as well as practicing kendo during high school."

"A samurai sword, huh," the turquoise-haired girl breathed. She smiled at the man she was going to marry in a few weeks. "That really fits your image, Ren. Hold on. I'll get you something you can use." She looked back and forth before going up to a box she was certain had a long sword that was taller than she was, and found the exact match.

Airi helped Takamasa with finding a weapon compatible with him, handing him a pair of short daggers—a formidable duo appropriate enough for the scriptwriter to deal with in no time. The light purple-haired idol found a pole just like the one she once had during her high school days at Seishin and smirked to herself, glad to see something she was familiar with. The five of them braced themselves shortly afterward, and executed their part of the plan once Nori opened the door at the far end of the storage room.

Simultaneously, the Seishin Guardians were already fighting on theirs, just as the female undercover agent/editor had hypothesized. Many of them were shooting or getting ready to cut their opponents down, who were basically doing the same as they were, but it was easy to tell which side would win the war between those two. Both sides were soon joined by the forces of the remaining members of Seishin (Airi and Sophie), along with the others who were with them.

Though Airi was equipped with her silver extending pole, Sophie had her enormous hammer; Takamasa swiftly went forward with the power of his twin daggers, and Ren was effortlessly slashing the soldiers Rose Blade had, defeating them without batting an eye. It was a very, very short matter of minutes before the woman with black hair spotted a figure far into the distance—someone who they all knew.

"Kunihiko…" Nori glared at the person the authorities of Seishin had strategized to get their revenge on for several years. She aimed her gun at him from a safe position, pointing the rifle slightly upward where the purple-haired man was. "For Isamu's sake, I will take you down to hell."

_You did the most unforgivable thing to him, as well as his family, _she thought with an expression full of quiet anger. _Seishin's rage was built up because of you, so in honor of Mashiro who was suffered with a large amount of damage since the very day you took her away, I will pull the trigger._

In spite of not seeing Nori down from where he was, Kunihiko watched the scene of soldiers battle against each other with an unemotional expression. He had his neck-length hair tied; its waviness was no longer there, but replaced with a straight appearance instead.

"…" He was also in a line of thought as he continued to observe the constant bloodshed unfolding before his eyes.

_Isamu, _he called the elite's name in his head. _How do you feel now that your precious daughter has been reliving the past of Seishin's missions? I do not regret anything. The pain I have caused you is my gift to your success in everything. If you hadn't been around, I would have been the one who benefitted from your fortune. Not that you've been prosperous since that day years ago, but I deeply despise you for winning what was not mine. What I couldn't have thanks to your presence… That person of heavenly—divine existence no other could ever compare to, but the one who has inherited that goddess-like form of hers is none other than Mashiro._

_ At one time, I did treasure her as though she were the only one who could bring happiness to my life in order to cast away the emotions that clashed from what my sins could never erase. But it was already too late the by the time I found out she had enrolled in Seishin._

_February 26, 2000_

_ It was a typical day in the home Kunihiko had let Mashiro reside in while her father was away, and her sister was lodging in a dorm with Airi since they were idols of a group called Himawari. There was also the fact she had not been in the house in a while due to staying in a separate dorm from where her sister and the purple-haired girl stayed in Seishin Academy. Her schedule was also mainly focused on combat training and going on missions almost every day at the academy famous for its accomplishments and countless deeds of justice._

_ Right after she had walked into the house for a short visit, Kunihiko who was a family friend of her parents', stepped inside with a kind smile._

_ "Oh? Mashiro, you're here?" he asked. His voice was a bit softer than it usually was, and he was always courteous towards the fawn-haired girl, as they were not a family due to no blood relation or adoption between them. "I didn't expect you to be at the home when you've been so occupied with your schoolwork. By the way, how's it been going? I haven't stopped by in a few years now, so I couldn't visit you while I was away in Azabu."_

_ Mashiro turned around and smiled shortly as she glanced at the older man. "I just thought I'd see if the place has changed since my last visit. That's all. Still, I'm glad you asked about my welfare. Everything's been fine since you were around, so nothing's been a problem for me." She moved a bit and checked the table in the dining room they were in, giving a nod of approval. "Seems like everything's okay over here. I guess this confirms the fact you really haven't paid an appointment to your own household, after all, Kunihiko-sama."_

_ "Hahaha, oh stop," the purple-haired man laughed lightly. "How many years have I known you, Mashiro? There's really no need for you and Sophie to call my name with –sama at the end. It makes me embarrassed, you know?" He was happy to see Mashiro again after his stay apart from her. "But why don't we sit down and talk as a part of this small reunion? I did miss the sound of your voice while I was working."_

_ As they took their seats, Mashiro looked to her left at Kunihiko. "Hmm. I'm not sure what to start with, but I'll just say, I'm thinking about pursuing a career in music after graduation. I believe it'll be better that way since I haven't seen Father in a while. Lia's also going to be starting a new life as an idol with Airi, so it might be a good chance for me to be around them as much as I can while they're still in Japan. I could also help compose the sound track for any upcoming projects. This will be a big promotion for future adaptions such as, anime, dramas, or even visual novels. You know how those have become popular in the recent years, right?" Although she was hyper and booming about her love for stuff like the things she listed, she was still excited about being able to do something for the sake of others, including... "Sophie's manga have been a hit in the market as well, so I thought—"_

_ Kunihiko let out yet another chuckle as he listened on about the high school girl's dreams with his right hand on the side of his face. "Alright, slow down! That's very cute of you to care so much about the people who are important to you, but try to take it one step at a time. You're getting way too ahead of yourself there, Mashiro. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but you've got to make a blueprint of where and what you'll start with once you get to the entertainment world, first. Then, you'll be able to see what you truly want to do in that position. Just split everything you want to do into fragments before piecing them all together like that. Based on what you said, it seems as if you've just compiled your wishes together in to mess of clothing clumped into a corner of your bedroom or something. Going into the talents department isn't as laidback and stress-free as you believe it to be, Mashiro. You have to work harder to gain the skills of music composition; otherwise, you'll never achieve your goals."_

_ Kunihiko's lecture, however, didn't have a vast impact on Mashiro, who only pouted in slight annoyance. "…" Her mood was the imaginative result of having salt poured into a long, bloody wound from a sword. "Kunihiko-sama, you're not getting what I'm trying to tell you! I can do this perfectly without any hitches in my road, so just stop with the smart attitude already! I've planned out the rest of my life as a working adult, and I'm technically one now that I'm eighteen." A sigh escaped from her lips. "Anyway, I'm also going to stop by Mother's grave soon. It's been some time since I went there with my only two family members I have left, so I'm positive it'll make her happy to know we still care for her." Her gaze was leaning towards the thought of being with her loved ones once more. "I wonder if I'll have time to make it, though. I've got another mission coming up in a few days from today."_

_ Hearing those words come out was like a volcano erupted at the speed of light in the twenty-seven-year-old's mind, he considered something. "Hey, uh, Mashiro?" He appeared to be concerned about something as he inquired the aspiring music composer. "Could I ask you something?"_

_ "You already did. Twice," the fawn-haired girl joked with a staid expression. Then, she brushed off her answer to the question. "Well, whatever. Go on and ask away while I still have time to be here. There's not much of it on my part, though."_

_ With a dry smile, Kunihiko gave his query. "When you mentioned that you had a mission, it made me wonder: Were you attending a school that teaches you how to defend yourself against anyone dangerous? Well, it's not like you're through with your school days yet, but just making sure. I never really checked on your life due to you being a grown young lady with a bright mature personality at a young age. Now that I think about it, I don't know where you'll go in your life besides trying to chase your passion for music as you've already told me. I don't truly know you—your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and such. Even though you're staying here while your father is running a tiring life for your sake, I'm always absent from doing my job of providing for you. I didn't raise you like your parents did, but I still think about you every now and then." He looked down with that strained smile of his. "I'm not a very good caretaker when it comes to you, but I do want to be here more often. It's just that I have a complex life of my own with work and all."_

_ After peering at Kunihiko's distraught face, Mashiro turned her head away, gazing to her right. "Kunihiko-sama. I know you're never around here because you have your private and working lives to tend to. And really, it never occurred to me that you would hold any kind emotions towards one such as myself. In fact, I could sense you trying to avoid me, and I understand the reason why." Her eyes lowered as her appearance became dull with no care whatsoever about the man sitting near her. "On the contrary, I will allow you to know this: I have followed my own decision to stay close to my mother's sanctuary. You should know where it is because you've always watched her from afar while she was enrolled there. The admiration you felt towards her grew into what you knew as a sensation of passion and affection—in other words, romance for a woman who was seven years older than you at the time. When you saw the close bond between my parents during your preadolescence, you became jealous of my father. It's not that I didn't think it was wrong of you, but to still yearn for your past love after her marriage to another man is that you haven't given them your whole blessing, is it not so? But…" At that point, Mashiro's eyes gave off a sorrowful appearance. "What I don't think is the honorable choice is to put your own anguish before courtesy to restrain oneself from harming the person who's always in your mindset. If you truly cherish someone, let them be free from your heart and erase all of your gruesome desires. Keep it in your soul to purify who you are and live on with your own struggles. Is that not the answer to be made when it comes to love? Could you not be more selfish than you already are, to take the fruit of pure love away from its origin? To wound the only man who loved this phenomenal child's mother with all his heart—the one who aided in her creation—is a sin to the concept of true love, Kunihiko."_

…Huh? _Kunihiko felt his heart stopped when he heard the last two sentences._ What's going on? That tone of voice… Mashiro has never addressed me without an honorific after my name before. _He narrowed his eyes in a firm manner, coming to a conclusion. _Don't tell me… she's possessed by another being right now. It's not logically impossible, but…

_"Are you Hazuno…?" he asked, fearing that the love he harbored for the deceased woman had come back to bite him._

_ Before he could receive the answer to question, Mashiro closed her eyes for a bit and reopened them. Then, she stood up from her seat and announced, "Anyway, I'll be going to where my mother's ashes lie. Excuse me, Kunihiko-sama." She did not even give the man near her a glance and walked out, taking her leave and shutting the front door behind her._

_ Choosing not to bite his lower lip, Kunihiko's frustration displayed on his face, and his chest sank in despair as he clenched his fists on the wooden table surface. "I knew it. Nothing ever goes my way—my love and hopes of achieving my desires. Nothing… Hazuno must have hated me for loving her while she was already that person's to begin with. This is why I hate my life and humans."_

_ Once more, he entered the deepest depths of his mind._

I've always tried to reach out to others, but they took my kindness for granted. And yet, neither Hazuno has ever showed me any rude expressions, nor did Isamu. Being a Kurumada, Isamu was generous enough to help me out in times of need, and introduced me to her when he noticed me standing out witnessing her beauty for the first time. As I grew older, I came to loathe that shining, aiding nature of his. Despite that, I didn't want to risk my relationship with him and the love of my life.

But really… What was I thinking, putting my feelings into vengeance? If not for my selfishness, Hazuno wouldn't have died from my hatred for mankind. Had I known what was going to happen, I wouldn't have plotted my evil to the civilians living in Shinjuku.

**Nearly five years ago, May 21, 1995**

** It was the night of the gathering the Kurumada family had for a special occasion. They were inside the principal's office located within Seishin Academy and were joyful that they could be together as always. Such unconditional love was one of the finest and rarest any family could ever imagine having, and was something most would be envious of. Not every family would be as happy and close as they were.**

** "Let's celebrate Mother's birthday for the entire night here, Father!" Mashiro beamed with the brightest expression a young girl could make. She held her father's left hand in her right, and was very fond of him. "I love being here, so please let us stay here for as we can." Her eyes showed massive adoration for the man who aided in conceiving her and Lia, who was not as affectionate towards either of their parents.**

** Isamu Kurumada smiled at his eldest daughter with his eyes closed, tilting his head back to his right. "Alright, Mashiro. We'll see about it, but give your mother a chance to say something. We don't want her to pout like a little kid at staying away from our house now, do we?"**

** Hazuno, Isamu's wife, placed an effort to be lenient towards her husband for that comment about her. She had golden brown hair, which was more like a radiant shade of gold than its former. Holding onto the dark-haired man's other hand, she said, "Honey, I'm not as childish as you think I am. Of course I would allow my spouse and children to stay at the school with me to celebrate my own birthday." She frowned with narrowed eyes, bothered by a different subject, also tilting her head but to her left and placing her free hand on the side of her beautiful visage. "Although it's a nice day to celebrate, I feel like I'm getting old for my young shell. Perhaps having kids early has put me in this depressing state."**

** Isamu sighed after opening his eyes to stare at his wife. "You're still young, either way, Hazuno. What's wrong with turning thirty-one? **_**I'm**_** the old one here since I'm a year ahead of you. I still took responsibility for my actions even though I don't regret a thing about what we've done together as a romantic couple. No matter what, I'll always love your odd characteristics and obsessions, which keep increasing because you worry too much about everything."**

** …**

** "That certainly doesn't make my mood any better, Isamu," the married principal frown again. Her older daughter was just as cute as her but a mature beauty such as her was no longer a child. "I'm not that peculiar, am I? When you become a parent before reaching the age of a full adult and getting married, it gives you insecurities, especially if you're a woman like me. I'm not sure if men feel the same way, but I do hope you'll support my beliefs on this."**

** Worrying about the fact she gave birth to Mashiro over thirteen years ago was one of the factors that made Hazuno Kurumada the way she was. Well, she hadn't married into her husband's family yet, but proclaiming her feelings on the matter didn't help the fact those dear to her were trying to make the best out of her birthday.**

** Lia, her younger daughter grabbed onto the golden brown-haired woman's formal black skirt with her left hand. She was a year younger than her older sister and had a desire to eventually be able to skip a grade to be with her by the time they were in high school. "Mommy, we should all eat together soon. Hearing you say something like that makes me sad to think you regret having Onee-chan. She's here, too, you know; she's not invisible to your eyes, is she?" In a way, the green-haired preteen was also adorable. She was a cute little girl who was fond of the light fawn-haired girl more than her she was of her parents, but could there have been much love for the two who conceived her? She wasn't particularly attached to them as she was to Mashiro.**

** Hazuno saw the look in Lia's eyes and smiled. "Lia, there's no way I could hate you or Mashiro. You're both my precious daughters and I love you very much. You should know that by now. In another few months, you'll enter junior high and I can't wait to see my girls together when you're in the same school again." She petted the younger of the sisters with her right hand and had a kind expression.**

** Seeing how much their mother cared about their feelings, Mashiro's shoulders slumped. A stinging sensation pinned to her heart as she became gloomy about those words. Regardless of her happiness to be with both her parents and her younger sister, she couldn't help but feel lonely and sad. It was also the truth that she loved her mother very much, but what was a near connection was also far beyond her reach. But in spite of her lost hopes of holding the school principal's hand once more [which she had done only once right after she was born], she didn't hold any negative emotions towards Hazuno. A few minutes passed by and Isamu squeezed Mashiro's hand to assure her everything would be fine. Nothing could ever separate the bonds of their family and comprehending the warmth that transferred to clear away her dejection, the light fawn-haired teenager smiled softly, lowering her eyes at the same time but not looking in the direction her father stood.**

** Unfortunately, Mashiro's small bud of bliss as well as the rest of the Kurumada family's was short-lived. It took at least three whole seconds for that time of delight to fade into infinite sparks when a blast had suddenly hit the academy's exterior. The force of it shook the edifice and the four of them were losing their balance, but soon regained it in time to react to what just occurred.**

** Isamu turned his head around with an alert expression. "…Looks like someone's here to ruin our plans." He stepped toward the door behind him. "I'll go checked the situation out. Hazuno, stay here with the girls and keep them safe. If I don't come back in ten minutes, I can't guarantee that I'll be alive. You might have to label me as a dead man by the time things have settled down, but always remember that I care about the three of you more than anyone and anything else in this universe full of corrupt desires. As long as I can defend you all from the threats imposed on us, that's all that matters to me. Please understand my way of telling you my love for you, Hazuno, Mashiro, Lia. Never forget every moment—every second—we've spent together, and keep on living."**

** Knowing she might never see her beloved if by chance he is fated to die that night, Hazuno struggled to let her husband go out the door which was inches away from the dark-haired man. "Isamu…" Her heart trembled while she looked at Isamu's back, resisting the rush of tears that wanted to pour her feelings out to him.**

** "This isn't a complete farewell," Isamu reminded his wife without looking back at her and the children he had with her. "Don't move away from here, you hear me? I don't want to meet you in the netherworld, and more importantly, I don't want you to endanger yourself. What kind of spouse would want to lose his loved ones? So…" He trailed off, giving a hint of sorrow to his voice. "Please stay here until I'm able to get back to you, Hazuno."**

** The golden brown-haired woman nodded and that was when Isamu knew he could leave without any worries. He opened the knob with his left hand; his right was equipped with a black gun loaded with a full set of bullets, and there were many more of shots to fire hidden in his clothing. Then, he swiftly set off, closing the door and locking it behind himself to protect his family.**

** Hours passed after Isamu left to check what had caused the blast to Seishin Academy and Hazuno was still with her daughters, holding them both in her arms as they waited for the elite man's return to them. While she wanted to stay with her two girls, she also yearned to see her husband's face again.**

** Lia looked up at her mother's face and asked, "Mommy, do you want to see Daddy again?" She was concerned about both of her parents, but was more saddened that Hazuno would leave her and Mashiro alone.**

** Glancing back at her younger daughter, the golden brown-haired woman smiled gently albeit regretfully. "Un. That's why… I'm going to check on him and see if he's alright." As she stood up from the floor, Lia held onto her right leg.**

** The green-haired girl shook her head with closed eyes before opening them once more. "No, Mommy! You can't go! It's too dangerous for you! You don't even have a weapon with you, so you can't fight like Daddy!"**

** "Lia…" Hazuno knew it wasn't safe for any one of them to go out and disregard Isamu's words to her. She would be abandoning all they had together, especially their children and their chances of being a regular family. But they weren't one. They were trained humans who weren't like ordinary civilians, yet the girls were still in their training process—their parents weren't. Separating herself from the two she gave birth to, Hazuno smiled for a second time. "Don't worry, Lia. I know things will be okay."**

** With a frightened expression on her face, Lia continued to object to the thought of letting her mother go outside the office. "No, you don't understand! Mommy…" She was still shaken within but tried to be as calm as her body would permit her. "I'm scared, really scared. I think you should stay here for a little longer with us. And it's not because I don't trust you, but I truly believe in Daddy's words. You know he doesn't intend to die, don't you? Please have more faith in him." She didn't know how to otherwise convince the mother she had, yet she wanted to do what she had in her abilities to stop the older woman from putting herself into a worse-case scenario.**

** As she kept smiling with the same expression, Hazuno didn't give up on going after Isamu. "Lia, don't be afraid. Mashiro will be here with you, so you don't have to worry so much. You're becoming a grown girl, too, you know." That was true, but she was only in elementary school. "I'll be back as soon as I can, so stay here with your sister until I get back with your father."**

** Without any more time to waste, Hazuno left the two to wait for both their parents' return, hurriedly dashing out the door and locking it. It was shortly after her departure that Mashiro slowly opened her eyes, awakening from her sleep.**

** "…?" She blinked. "Lia…? Where's Mother?"**

** Lia frowned. "Onee-chan, what should we do? Mommy just went to find Daddy!"**

** "Heh?" Mashiro's eyes widened in surprise when she heard that their mother disobeyed their father's request. She was suddenly alert, keeping her composure to prepare for anything that may happen. "Lia, try to be as calm as you can and stay still. I'll be here with you. No matter what," she declared, "I'll protect you."**

** Feeling that everything would indeed be okay for them, Lia nodded and held onto her older sister. She was still fearful of what might have happened to their parents, but knew Mashiro wouldn't do anything to abandon her. "Onee-chan…"**

** Mashiro stroked the green-haired girl's hair with her right hand. "We'll be fine, Lia. Don't give up hope. Father and Mother will come back to us, so let's wait for them."**

** Listening to the light fawn-haired girl, Lia leaned her head against Mashiro's body. She wanted to be as strong and refined like her sister, but was too terrified of what the future had in store for them. Five minutes passed by and they heard the unlocking of a door. As they turned their heads to their left, they wondered if Isamu and Hazuno had returned.**

** Then, the door opened gradually…**

** Inside one of the faculty rooms, Hazuno skimmed through her surroundings. There was no one there, and her stress level didn't lessen. She had searched most of the school rooms and came back to the uppermost floor. It was also the second to last area of the school, excluding her office where Mashiro and Lia were still waiting for her. Yet, she didn't want to come back to them without her husband and consider the worst possibility that Isamu was already dead.**

** "Isamu…" She looked down, disheartened that she hadn't found him since she went out of the place they had been a while ago with their two daughters. "Where are you…?"**

_**I looked as much as I could for you, **_**she thought to herself. **_**Are you in the next room…? But if I don't find you there, does that mean that you really are…**_

__**Immediately as she was thinking in her mind, the door opened and someone came in. Hazuno turned to see who it was, but the person who had entered the room was not her beloved husband, but a woman with long silver hair who had medium purple eyes. She wore a suit that included pants, unlike the knee-length skirt Seishin Academy's principal donned.**

** "Who are you, and what are you doing in my school?" Hazuno asked. Without any weapons to defend her own life, she was on her guard.**

** The woman with silver hair was stoic but answered the light/bright red-eyed beauty who was married to one of the most successful men in Japan. "That… You don't need to know. I am only here under my boss' orders. Furthermore, I am here… For you, Hazuno Kurumada."**

** "What do you…" Hazuno's confusion was instantly taken over by the sight of the unknown woman taking out a gun from her (the silver-haired woman's) right pocket and aiming at her.**

** "I require that you stay still and listen to what I have to say," the indifferent female warned. "If you value your life and your daughters' lives, don't move away from this room. After all, a mother's worst fear besides losing the man she loves, is to have her children taken away as well. So what will you do now? Your choice shall determine the cruel fate my co-workers and I are waiting to set for them. Whether you decide to refuse or not is no longer an option for an unarmed woman of your caliber. You were foolish enough to journey here without taking anything from your own academy, Mrs. Kurumada. As the principal of this prestigious school, you should know better than to think you would survive without something to combat an adversary's arsenal."**

** Again, Hazuno would not allow herself to waver under the opponent she faced, discarding her other emotions. "What have you done to my children, and to my husband? Surely, you are here to torment me with words, are you not? If nothing has been done to hurt my family, then I will hear what you have to say."**

** The woman who was as stoic as a robot looked down at the floor, having slightly moved her head. "Yes, I see. You are so concerned for those dear to you, so I will let you know: There is a video in the projector screen that I have implanted and it would be considered an important matter for you, as your daughters have already been recorded by our hidden cameras."**

** "My daughters…?" Hazuno questioned. "What is the meaning of recording them onto a video when they're not supposed to be out?"**

** Although no emotions were indicated from the silver-haired female, she replied. "That… is up to you to decide on what will happen afterwards. Anyway, you should watch and learn what she—the soul of Seishin Academy—is to say about what fate has in store for her."**

** The projector screen turned on, showing what happened several moments ago.**

_**"!" Mashiro was alert as the sound of another woman with violet hair came into the principal's office. The light fawn-haired girl narrowed her eyes as the woman stopped. "Who are you?"**_

_** The woman grinned. "Relax, precious child. I have some questions to ask you, but it seems the first one has already been answered. I must ask, anyway." She dismissed herself, not caring for anything else. "Where are you parents, hmm~? Oh, but I believe by the signs that they've left you two to fend for yourselves. Poor things. How would you like it if I became your new mommy? We could live in solitude if that is what you'd prefer."**_

_** "There's no way my mother and father would leave us for good," Mashiro proclaimed. "Whoever you are, you are not going to replace Mother because she will return to our side. I believe in that."**_

_** The lady wouldn't accept that, shaking her head in disapproval and brushing off the thirteen-year-old. "No can do, Sweetie. I know for a fact your real mom won't come back for you, or your little sister there. As long as your father's still missing, she'll never return to you. That's just the type of woman she is. Even if you waited until the sun rose, she wouldn't care about you most of all, despite you being the eldest daughter in your family. That despicable woman doesn't love you, Mashiro. In her heart, there are only two people who make up her entire world: your father and your younger sister. No one else is permitted to be there, especially you." Her eyes were filled with affection for the young teen as she added, "Honey, you should know more than anyone how much she rejects you whenever she looks at those two. To her, you were nothing more than an ill omen that cut her high school days apart a few months before she graduated from Seishin. She has never wanted you in her life. The way she never bats her eyes towards you just signals her wish to dispose of you like a piece of trash. However. You of all were created from an act of love from both of your parents in the somewhere in the building, which makes you the heart of this school."**_

_** "What are you talking about?" Mashiro inquired, becoming somewhat confused while still holding the same seriousness on her exterior. "I'm not the heart of this place, and even if I were, I would have been told so years ago."**_

_** Another grin formed on the purple-haired woman's deadly visage. "Oh, but you are. If you weren't, I wouldn't be here to see you. I should get back to asking you my questions, though. Do you know you have always been considered as such since your mother knew she was pregnant with you? You may not believe me, but **_**we**_** began to develop an interest in your existence for a long time now. And it took over thirteen years before we were finally able to make our appearance without any hitches. I must commend Isamu and Hazuno for putting up a tight security system, but this night was something we had not predicted—do you know why?" She went on to explain what she meant. "The four of you were having a marvelous time together that no one activated it. As the principal of this academy, your mother let her guard down and endangered all of your lives as a result of her laxity." She sighed. "How reckless of her, don't you think so? You might not get to see your family together again thanks to her careless mistake, but maybe she hated you enough to do this to you." The woman intruding Seishin Academy extended her left hand with a kind expression spread onto her beautiful visage. "Why don't you come with me, Mashiro?" she urged the light fawn-haired girl. "I'll take you away from here so you can live a better life with me as your new mom. After all, your own mother could never understand her daughter's true feelings of wanting to be with her. She's too cruel to you, as gentle and loving don't describe how she feels for you; only the word 'burden' is what you truly are to her. Unlike Hazuno, though, I'm much more suitable to take care of you, so don't hesitate to take my hand and embrace your new home, Mashiro."**_

_** Without waiting for a response from the girl she adored with plenty of affection, the purple-haired woman with scarlet/rouge eyes stepped closer to Mashiro and Lia, but her eyes were solely focused on Mashiro. She was indeed obsessed with burning passion that was nearly impossible to extinguish, and gave a hug to the girl she wanted to have in her arms.**_

_** "Ahhh," she breathed with pleasure, closing her eyes. Mashiro certainly felt superb to her since she didn't let go of the young female. "This is the best sensation I have ever felt from someone else's offspring. You really are the one I want as my family, so hold me back. Don't waver now—I'm your mommy, remember?"**_

_** Mashiro, on the other hand, did not like the weight of the strange woman. In turn of the ecstatic affections of the woman whose body had wrapped around hers, she quickly shoved her self-proclaimed "mother" away with a strong usage of both her hands. "…"**_

_** "Onee-chan!" Lia shouted with growing concern for her older sister.**_

_** With disgust showing on her face, Mashiro replied with, "Don't move, Lia." It was obvious she was livid from what just happened. She directed her wrath to the purple-haired woman. "And you…" The light fawn-haired girl panted as she stood in her spot. "Don't you dare touch me." From her thoracic region, she lowered her curled right hand. "It's true I might not be loved by my mother, and of course I'm lovely because of that. But even so…" Mashiro's eyes lowered themselves as tears began to manifest in them. "I can't bring myself to despise the one who gave birth to me." With a new resolve, she blinked her tears out [once] with some remaining, confronting the enemy with a serious flame lighting up in her chest. "And if my fate is to be this so-called 'heart' of the academy, then I will accept it without running away! I won't escape from my destiny… ever again…!" Her vow soared higher and higher to the top of the earth, reaching past the clouds that would have appeared in the sky if it hadn't been nighttime. It was as though the whole planet witnessed a brilliant feat that left itself speechless and in awe of the thriving courage of someone as young as the elder daughter of Isamu and Hazuno Kurumada.**_

__**At that moment, Hazuno realized that she loved Mashiro more than her own actions let on until the time she pulled herself apart from her daughters to look for her husband.**

** "Mashiro…" Tears dripped down the golden brown-haired woman's face as she stared at the screen showing her first daughter's determination to prove herself to the world.**

** A few seconds later, the projector displaying the video switched off. The woman with the stoic expression walked over to the disheartened principal and suggested, "You should wipe away your tears. If seeing her face brings you so much anguish, it's best not to return to her side. You'll only end up hurting her if you do."**

** Hazuno's eyes widened at hearing those words, and her appearance shifted into one of fury and she turned towards the silver-haired beauty. "How can you say such a ridiculous thing?! Mashiro's my daughter, and so is Lia; what right do you have to tell me I can't go back to them?! I never knew how much Mashiro suffered until now." She squeezed her fists in frustration. "I've always loved her, but I didn't want her to be unhappy!" The look in her eyes followed her actual feelings she wished she could let Mashiro hear. "How could I ever want her to be sad because of me? And wanting to apologize to her for what I've done to wrong her is only natural. She's the child Isamu gave to me before our marriage, and I've never regretted having her in my life! What kind of mother would throw away her own child?! That's not right at all!"**

** Hazuno's anger did not manage to seemingly convince the woman in front of her from being indifferent. "Say what you will. However, you won't be able to ever hold your unfortunate daughter ever again. At least, that is what my boss informed me to report to you."**

** "Your… boss…?" Hazuno was perplexed as to who would have their subordinate invade the school.**

** Just then, the door opened, and many females rushed into the room. The fact there was an abundant amount of them entering the most sacred territory in Shinjuku wasn't surprising to the principal of Seishin Academy. What was the most shocking to her was seeing the women carry Isamu in first, with Lia and Mashiro afterward.**

** "…!"**

** A sinister laugh came from the last of the women as she sauntered into the area. It was the lady with purple hair and scarlet eyes from the video she saw. The woman's smile was sadistic as the heels of her boots continued to make contact with the floor. She also had her right hand placed on the side of her face. "Why, hello there. I assume you're the principal of Seishin Academy. It is a pleasure to meet you in person, and it looks like your lovely daughter has been a naughty girl to me. To think my fondness for her wasn't enough to convince her to go to my side and be mine. Tsk, tsk tsk." She waved her right index finger back and forth. "What a shame to know she inherited your stubbornness, Mrs. Hazuno Kurumada. I could have stolen her away from you right when I laid my eyes on her no so long ago. What **_**was**_** I thinking? I should've gotten rid of you before encountering both of your girls. The looks on their faces would have been so…" She licked her lips. "…delectable." She glared with dissatisfaction at Isamu. "But your husband there foiled my plans to take Mashiro away. So, I had my comrades take care of his interference."**

** "Isamu…" Hazuno exhaled with a frightened expression.**

** Isamu struggled to get bite his frustration while being held back by a few of the women. He was as stern as when he left. "Hazuno, don't worry about me right now. Mashiro's—" He had a pained look on his face as he glanced to his right. "I… I couldn't protect her…"**

** As Lia was moved forward and let go of, her tears fell as she turned her head to her sister, who was also being carried in. "Onee-chan!"**

** Mashiro, who was unconscious with blood all over her body, appeared in front of her family and their adversaries' eyes. It was a horrendous sight to see the young girl being held by the back of her shirt collar, and Hazuno couldn't bear to see her eldest child in such a tragic state.**

** "Mashiro!" Tears started to flow down her cheeks again as she was petrified of the bloody wounds on Mashiro's body.**

** The purple-haired woman sighed with an unsympathetic appearance. She still had she hand on the side of her beauteous visage. "It's a pity that I couldn't have loved her anymore after she rejected me. I had hoped to become her new mother, but it was not to be." She shook her head with closed eyes. "That was the last strike for me." Then, she opened her eyes once more. "But for my boss's sake, I kept her alive. I couldn't stand to harm her to the point she was going to die, so I stopped my grotesque attacks on her stomach as well as the rest of her body. I do feel bad for what I did to her, though." Her smile was so devious and full of fueled malice, it tore the Kurumada family's hearts to pieces.**

** "How…" Hazuno trailed off. Her body shook like an earthquake releasing itself with destructive rage. "How could you do this to Mashiro, when she's only thirteen?! She's too young to defend herself against an adult, and yet…" She clutched her hands into fists. "She doesn't deserve to experience the horror of this world when there's already too much to rebel against! Mashiro's too pure for the reality you and I have to face, so why did it have to come to this?" Her voice was now full of sorrow for her [unintended] negligence towards her unconscious daughter.**

** A familiar voice the Kurumada's knew was then heard approaching the door.**

** "Why?" the person asked. "Don't act as if you don't know, Hazuno. You as well, Isamu." Soon, the moonlight shone on a man's figure and his identity was revealed.**

** "Kunihiko…!" Hazuno shouted.**

** Simultaneously, Isamu had exclaimed, "Kunihiko!"**

** Lia's eyes widened with innocent confusion and surprise. "Kunihiko-sama…?"**

** It swiftly dawned on them that Kunihiko Aikawa, a family friend of theirs, had planned the attack on Seishin hours ago and crushed the happiness they felt before they could actually celebrate without too many concerns.**

** "As you may finally have realized, it was I who did this to your beloved school and family," the purple-haired man revealed. "With the security system down, it was the perfect time to ambush you all and put you three into a corner you wouldn't be able to escape from. And I obtained the most important thing to befit this assault. Thanks to your separation from her, Mashiro's fate is now in my hands. I'll be taking her away so she can live the normal life a girl is supposed to have since all you two have done is raise her to exert herself past her own limits." His gaze shifted to Hazuno with cold eyes. "What's more appalling in my perspective is that the woman I have always loved has become a deadbeat of a mother in caring for her eldest daughter. While it does pain me to constantly be affected by my feelings of romance for you, Mashiro is my main priority here. But. Tonight, you will be finished off by my trusted soldier, Yukino, whom you have already spoken to before my other ladies of grandeur came in under my orders."**

** The woman Kunihiko brought up was none other than the one whose hair was of fine silver color and whose eyes were a medium shade of purple. She wore a suit like a professional would and looked up at the golden-haired principal. To differ herself from the rest of her companions, she was just like a computerized program, with no given emotion as she stared at her true target. She positioned her gun steadily for a second time at the mother of Mashiro and Lia Kurumada. "Now, die." With those two words she uttered, she rapidly shot the ventral (along/toward the abdominal region of the body) portion. The second the gun bullet shot Hazuno, she collapsed onto the floor, leaving her on her side as she watched her enemies.**

** "Hazuno!" Isamu, who was still helpless and being restricted by the feminine subordinates who were loyal to their commander, resisted as much as his arms and legs allowed him to. "Ugh! Let go of me! I have to get to my wife!"**

** "Mommy!" Lia cried out. She didn't have tears in her eyes this time since she had exhausted herself for her sister earlier. "Mommy, don't die!" She ran over to her mother, panicked as to what she could do with her anxiety.**

** Hazuno opened her eyes, not looking at her husband or youngest daughter, but at those against her and her family. "Give Mashiro back to me! She's… my daughter… Kunihiko. She's not your daughter; she belongs to me and Isamu. You… You monster…!" Her voice was filled with a loathing, seething sensation that was instantaneous.**

** "Call me what you want," Kunihiko taunted his old love. "It's too bad it came to this, but I won't give her back to you, not to your embrace." He glanced at Isamu and added, "And you, Isamu. You were the one who swept everything from me—my love, happiness, and success. You were always above me no matter what I aimed to achieve after I buried my feelings for Hazuno and the popularity you had with her. I never entered Seishin Academy because I felt too suppressed by your fame and fortune, as well as your accomplishments in life. You were the one who made me do this."**

** Isamu gritted his teeth, glaring fiercely at the purple-haired man. "Kunihiko, you coward! I won't forgive you for this! How dare you harm my wife and kids. It doesn't matter if you go after me, but to have a load of women follow you around and bring pain to my family is the worst act you can ever do. You're the lowest human being I've met in all the years I've been alive, and I'll get Mashiro back from your hands." His eyes narrowed with a spirited tenacity that shot up inside of him. "Mark my words, I'll bring you down to Hell for what you've done to us."**

** Sensing tears wanting to erupt from his eyes, the dark-haired man forced them from giving his enemy any signs of weakness and despair. **_**Wait for us, Mashiro. I promise we'll come to get you, even if it takes years before we can all be together again. I'll work hard to find a way to reach you.**_

__**Without answering the man he resented more than anyone else, Kunihiko turned around. His female subordinates followed right after him, taking Mashiro away. The beautiful, yet stoic woman crouched down in front of Hazuno's body, which was gradually losing its blood, and checked her (Hazuno's) pulse with her left index and middle fingers, as she lay unconscious. Lia, on the other hand, was frightened by the silver-haired woman's actions, and Isamu was let go of. He rushed to his wife's side, and was broken within from the events that took place. His entire being shuddered with a detest towards the man he once trusted, and he vowed deep in the abyss of his mind and heart that he avenge his family, for the sake of reuniting them all.**

_Back then, _Kunihiko continued in the present, _I did what was considered to be evil intentions because I was jealous of Isamu. After Mashiro told me of her plans four years ago, I sought to prevent her from being completely victorious on the Guardians' last mission. Her memory loss was a success on my part, and I was able to alter her previous self into a more cheerful young lady full of happiness—which was exactly what I desired for her after having Yukino kill Hazuno several years ago. She could finally be free from her past, and I was proud of who she was._

_ I helped her gain new knowledge and memories, starting with the fabrication of both her parents' deaths and the sister she was separated from. I knew I was lying to her, but I didn't want to give her any more pain as she had once experienced in her actual family's household. Thinking back on how I caused Hazuno's death, it reminded me of Yamato, who also lost his mother—but for different reasons. Eventually, I decided that they had to meet and fulfill each other's voids, as well as find true happiness through the other's company—what I could not achieve in my own romance could be the start in theirs. That was what I believed when I thought of those two, but they ended up being disconnected from one another before truly forming a real relationship a normal husband and wife would have if they had fallen in love without being forced to marry so soon, just like... Isamu and Hazuno back in 1995. This makes me no different from Tsubaki Kanzaki since Yamato and Mashiro's marriage was arranged by none other than myself. Perhaps this war was the effect of karma from taking away what Isamu loved. How cursed my life is may be what I deserve, after all. Unlike the man who I once admired like an older brother, I was not loved. Yet he was the one… who became the center of everyone else's universe._

As Nori positioned herself along with her gun to give Kunihiko the finishing blow, Takao suddenly appeared behind her, and pulled her back from killing the man who started all of this mayhem.

The dark-haired beauty turned her head around and her eyes widened. Then she whispered to him. "…! Takao?! What are you doing here?"

"Shh," his mouth let out in a hushed tone. His expression was dead serious, while he kept holding onto the agent's back. "Just take a look at Kuni's face for a little. Don't you think something's off about him, Nori-san? He seems to be thinking instead of concentration on what he's supposed to be doing."

As she was told to do, Nori looked up at the adversary of her superior and studied his expression. "…" It was just as Takao said. There was something quite not right about Kunihiko as the battle between the Guardians and Rose Blade went on. "Could he be holding back on all of this…? He's not as focused on anything concerning the war between the two sides, so what is he doing?"

"He might be," the lawyer joining the battle stated. "But before you thinking about shooting him, I suggest that you wait for Isamu to get here. I believe he would rather be the one to face Kuni than anyone else. You know that more than anyone else here, don't you? So, please. Have faith that he'll put an end to this."

Nori gaze at Takao; it was evident she was hesitating to allow the war to drag on any further. "But…"

"For Mashiro's sake, don't do anything until Isamu gets here," Takao pleaded. "We all know how much you two care for her. There's no denying that it's been a long and painful experience. Stay here." He got up and readied a gun of his own. "I'll be fighting on the battle field from a separate area, so I'll help lure Rose Blade's attention away from here."

Without another second to waste, Takao left Nori to sit where she was. He escaped from being seen as he made his way to his designated location.

At that time, Yuta and Lia were already firing their guns. They were heading towards the place Isamu and Yamato would meet up, and were also drawing out soldiers from Rose Blade, killing as many members, which included those who were devoted to Kunihiko. They were soon allied with Takao and Cheryl, whom they had not expected to meet.

As he kept running, Yuta's eyes became filled with surprise. "Takao?" His voice was cool and smooth, just like his appearance. "Why are you here?"

Takao glanced at the comedian from the direction parallel to where he was. "That'll have to wait until we get done with the war. As you can see, I have a connection to the Kanzaki family, and I'm here on Saburo's orders to stop the war, as well. It looks like you've combined forces with Isamu and Nori-san, Yuta."

Yuta glanced away from Takao and smiled. "Guess you know her, too. Are we all somehow associated with one another or something? You are with Cheryl, after all, so I'm assuming you guys are tied with the responsibilities of being elder siblings in your families."

Takao grinned. His was unlike the one he would usually show when the group was gathered together. "Maybe we are, seeing as she taught me about my career when I was in law school. But that doesn't matter anymore, does it? We've all been hiding secrets from one another, which might be the reason we've all come together to resolve this war."

After moments of sprinting towards the end of the section they were in, the four of them came to a stop. However, they were not alone. Right before the door stood a woman with a sadistically malicious vibe. She had long, violet hair with rouge eyes, and wore a black biker outfit with a jacket and pants, along with a pair of high heeled boots; she even wore red lipstick that matched the color of her eyes.

"Welcome, my dear resistance warriors," she greeted them. "I've been waiting for you to come here. Now, why don't we just sit back and play around for a bit? I'm sure you'll love having a game with me."

Lia frowned with a demanding look on her face. "Enough of that. I've come to rescue my sister, you monster, and I won't take no for an answer. She's the family I've waited to meet again, so get out of the way. You're blocking my path."

"Oh~?" the purple-haired woman smirked. "Aren't you the little girl from nine years ago? You've grown up to be a pretty lady, haven't you?" Her facial expression immediately shifted to a cold stare. "But no can do. Your sister, Mashiro belongs to us. There's no way in hell I can give her back to you when Kunihiko-sama wants her to stay here to fulfill his plan. So, let's get started, shall we?" Her grin returned within a matter of seconds, and she pulled out a black whip that was covered in thorns. "Remember this? I used it on my darling girl that fateful night after she refused to go with me, so now, I'll be using it on you and your friends. Say goodbye, sweet little Lia. I'll let your father know that you died by the sharp ends of my whip once I'm done with you all." She licked her lips the very same way on Hazuno's thirty-first birthday. Then, she cracked her whip and swung it back before moving her right hand forward.

Meanwhile, Iroha emerged from the room she was in and headed out with a silver handgun after witnessing the fight between her soldier and the Seishin Guardians. Boy, was she ever _glad_ by what she saw. Her building wrath was clearly represented on her visage as she made her way to where Kunihiko was standing.

"Damn it all!" she yelled. "What is that fool doing out there?! I specifically commanded him to plant an attack on those Seishin Guardians, and to top it all off, he doesn't move an inch from where he is! What's more is that Sophie and the others have joined in to fight the battle and are heading to where Mashiro is." As she gritted her teeth, she declared, "There's no way I'm letting anyone else steal my chance of fighting Mashiro, not even those pests!"

The black-haired beauty who was on the opposing side did not falter in her wish to have a final battle with the fawn-haired leader of the Guardians. She was simply trying to win over that speck of her rivalry she held deep within her core as she rushed to the last stage she would ever see Mashiro in person. It was an unlucky counter of fate for her in that short amount of time. She was shot in the arm and stomach, which caused her to collapse. The perpetrator of the gunshots elegantly turned around to leave, but the only thing identifiable about them was that they had long, golden brown hair as they walked away from the scene. Iroha, however, lifted herself up from the cold floor and began to trudge to a secluded area. She sat down once she confirmed no one else was there to take advantage of her situation; afterward, she closed her eyes and reflected on the reason she came to be the person she currently was.

**Iroha Murakami's thoughts from the past**

_When I think about it now, _Iroha reminded herself as she sunk into a state of unconsciousness, _I was always jealous of Mashiro… Mashiro Tsuneha. At least, that was the name I remember she had back when we first started out as first year students. She was beautiful in everyone's eyes, including mine. She caught the attention of the staff as well, and she strongly resembled the former principal of the academy, and even shared the same maiden name as her._

_ It was long until all the students were enrolled in a training course in which we were all to prepare for battles and missions. Mashiro quickly mastered swordsmanship and learned how to fight with two swords at the same time. She became what every student and teacher believed was the light of hope, and Shuu was also amazed by her skills. The first time I noticed the way he gazed at her, I became envious of Mashiro to the point where I wanted to have everything she did. But… I didn't want to hurt Shuu's feelings towards her, so I never told him how I truly felt about him._

_ It turned out that he was always observing her and was genuinely worried about her. Despite that, I grew to hate Mashiro for being loved by everyone, especially my beloved Shuu. As a result, I became the next leader of Rose Blade, which had been around for many years—even past my parents and grandparents' times. With the aid of Kunihiko Aikawa, I plotted against Seishin's renowned Guardians the night of their last mission and Mashiro became burdened with retrograde amnesia, hence she forgot almost everything she knew before awakening from her injuries. Though I felt bad to have done this to my former schoolmates, I only wanted Shuu to turn around and look at me, rather than Mashiro. But that was not to be._

_ He felt a sense of guilt over what had happened to the students who wound up with memory problems and left for good after graduation. Since then, I never saw him again in Shinjuku, or in any other part of Tokyo. He was nowhere to be found, and I yearned to see him once more. Knowing that he was gone from my life, I continued to lead Rose Blade in the crimes I committed against my own country._

_ At the beginning, I was an innocent novel human being. But I evolved into a rotten, sinful woman. That's right… Even now, I'm…_

As she remained where she was, Iroha's breathing and pulse slowed down at a rapid rate, and nothing seemed to be able to help her anymore. It was most likely that her fate would be sealed at that very spot.

The purple-haired woman swung her thorny whip at Lia, Yuta, Cheryl, and Takao without any mercy, and willed for it to hit the four opponents she faced. She enjoyed putting up a show just for fun. There was without a doubt that she lusted for the aches of the human heart to cry out whenever she would torture someone. Each and every moment of pleasure she could get out of hearing and seeing another person become inflicted with agony from her whip's thorns was true ecstasy in her soul. The delight of it all… How she was growing impatient for the snake-like item she had to indent itself into any one of those beautiful and handsome youths.

A mistake was made on her part, to be honest. What she had not anticipated from the four was…

"Now!" Takao shouted with swift evasiveness as he and the others jumped into the air. He was unyielding as when he arrived not too long ago. As he landed on the floor, farther away from the woman, he glanced in Cheryl's direction before focusing his gaze back to their adversary. "Yuta, Lia. Go on ahead and get to Isamu and Yamato. Cheryl and I will take care of things here."

Yuta shifted his attention towards the serious person he once thought of as a levelheaded lawyer. "Alright. If we don't make it, we'll see you in hell. I mean, that's where we've been headed anyway, right? Hiding secrets from each other, only to be reunited like this with a chain of multiple truths… Aren't we all the devils in the run here?" He turned his head away, looking at his girlfriend with that same seriousness. "In the end, we're letting ourselves string others on. Saeki and Airi… and even Yamato. Who knew fate was so cunning as to make us deceive those we've cherished, and hurt them as part of its plot? But there are a few things I'll always keep in mind." Yuta's eyes narrowed and he said, "The fact I encountered many people before moving forward is what gives me the strength to confront the evil in this world. So long as I live, I will never forget I was able to love and befriend those who struggled, even if their hearts were corrupt. I won't truly be able to loathe anyone but this accursed pawn I came to be. The only things that belong to me and only me are my feelings, but not my thoughts. If what I think is being controlled by fate, then my emotions are my one true keepsake." He held his left hand to Lia, who took it without a second thought.

If they were to be together without any regrets of loving one another, it was only natural to stick with the most special person in one's heart, was it not?

And so, they left hand-in-hand, and walked to their last destination… in order to deal with the truth that was awaiting their senses and bodies.

Isamu and Yamato stopped before even making a fourth of the way inside the place they were in. Well, it was actually Isamu who didn't move from his tracks as he stared into the room.

Yamato blinked. "What's wrong?" He looked at the undercover agent, turning his head to his left.

"I'm positive Mashiro's waiting for you up ahead, so go on without me for now," Isamu responded, not giving a glance to the auburn-haired youngster. "I'll rejoin you after you're finished with what you have to say to her."

Yamato frowned with concern. "But… What about you? What will you do?"

Isamu looked down. There was something on his mind. "I have something I have to do, but you have to do your part first, son."

Something in Yamato's mind was astonished to hear the last word the man with black-hair and honey-colored eyes told him. _Huh? _He was obviously confused but also intrigued by the man known as Isamu Kurumada. _Did he just call me his… No, that can't be. And yet, I want to get to know this man better. Who he really is pulls me towards his mysterious character, and it makes we wish I knew his sadness. Huh? His… sadness? Why did I just think that? Is there something more going on? What's—_

"I need to meet up with someone, that's all," Isamu said with a kind smile like always. "Just do what you have to, alright?" Those tender eyes of his were more than enough to assure Yamato that things would be fine.

And Yamato was hoping they would be, as he smiled back. "Yeah. Thanks for staying with me, Isamu."

"So that's all you wanted to tell me?" Isamu replied. As he kept smiling, he asked, "You weren't happy to meet me and enjoy breaking into the warehouse? I'm really disappointed in you, Yamato-kun."

Yamato shook his head. "No, that's not it. Of course, I was glad to come here with you. But now, I'll be able to see Mashiro again and confess my true feelings for her in person, instead of having to let anyone else know since I've already said it more than once. Thank you for letting me get this chance to meet Mashiro, Isamu."

With that said, he walked onward to where the leader of the Seishin Guardians was waiting for him. Isamu stared at the physics teacher's back and smiled once more.

"He sure is an interesting fellow," the elite noted. "And he's just like me. Being the hero and all, he reminds me of myself. On the contrary, I'm not going to allow him to have all the glory to himself. I'll set things right again and bring Kunihiko down once and for all."

Yamato looked from side to side in search for Mashiro, running in advance to see his wife. It was just a small amount of time before he finally saw her entering the room as though she were a lost little girl, or even a blind female from the way she glanced back and forth.

"Mashiro!" he called out.

Hearing her name being announced, the fawn-haired girl stopped and gazed at the auburn-haired man coming towards her. "You're the man from before," she breathed as she recalled the time Yamato and the rest of the group from Long Island came to the Guardians' base. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous to wander around when there's a war going on."

"I know, but listen to me, Mashiro," Yamato acknowledged as he requested his amnesiac wife's attention. Then, a stern expression crossed his face. "You might not remember who I am, but we've met before the time I went to your underground hideout with Sophie and the others. There was one time when you lived in Azabu with me as an ordinary woman free from any of this bloodshed—and it was over a month ago. We even got married and I became your husband. My name is Yamato Kougami, and I am a teacher at an all-girls school. Because I was putting up a wall around myself, I never tried to become close with anyone, but without realizing how much my heart was leaning to you, I couldn't even say that I was in love with you. But I really do feel this way about you, Mashiro. You're everything to me, and I don't want to lose you ever again."

At that moment, Mashiro felt a familiar sensation which was buried in the immense depths of her mind and heart—something she had been trying to remember all along. Inside her inner thoughts, she could sense pieces of her memory coming together like crystal fragments that were in the form of glittering particles, and fusing themselves back into the missing portion of her memory, gaining everything she had forgotten in an instant.

"…!" She finally recollected the feelings of love she harbored for her husband and looked at him with full bursts of passion. "I love you, Yamato. I've always been in love with you. I want to be with you for as long I can!"

Those words alone were enough to move Yamato, and he embraced Mashiro, who in turn, reciprocated those same feelings. She hugged him back, putting her arms around the auburn-haired man's back.

"I hate to interrupt your heartwarming moment, but this isn't over yet," a certain man's voice said as he entered the room.

Mashiro and Yamato immediately opened their eyes and looked in the direction of the voice, which turned out to be…

"Kuni?!" Yamato shouted in shock and surprise.

Mashiro, however, had a severe expression on her visage. "Kunihiko…"

"If it isn't my lovely Mashiro," the purple-haired man answered nonchalantly. "It seems you were able to remember everything. That's nice, isn't it? But giving you a spark of congratulations is not the reason I'm here." As he walked towards the married couple, he took out a gun from the right side of his belt and aimed it at the fawn-haired beauty. "I came to kill you, once and for all. So let's make it a quick death for you, shall we?"

Mashiro did not falter, but frowned. "…" She lowered her eyes before speaking once more. "So keeping me around was just for the sake of this. You truly are a fiend, Kunihiko. It's no wonder you were putting up a front to place your deception on everyone you encountered."

"Did you actually just realize that, Mashiro?" Kunihiko questioned as he stopped in his tracks. "Or, have you known this whole time? Still, I'm impressed you were able to obtain what was rightfully yours before dying here. But it's too late to do anything about it now that I've got you cornered. You'll just be forgotten after this, and no one will be happy to know that you've died such a tragic death."

Yamato acted on an impulse, and stood in front of Mashiro, opposing Kunihiko's desire to murder the woman he loved. "Don't do anything, Kuni. If you're going to shoot, then kill me instead. I won't have you harming anyone else, especially not Mashiro."

Mashiro eyes widened slightly. "Yamato…" Her knight in shining armor was right in front of her, trying to protect her from the ways of danger.

Kunihiko raise an eyebrow upon seeing Yamato defend the girl he was planning on murdering. "Oh? Aren't you the mighty one, Yamato. You should know better by now than to permit your own death. Get out of the way. You're not my target; Mashiro is." He rapidly changed his mind. "Looks like I have no choice, then. To prove how worthless you humans are, I'll give you the honor of being killed right in front of your wife. Your so-called love does not cease to amuse me, though. I like your devotion towards Mashiro, even if you're a fool. Say farewell to this world, Yamato." He positioned his gun at Yamato's heart and pulled the trigger. Or at least he was a split second away from it when suddenly, something crashed into the room.

Inside, several human beings entered and Kunihiko was shot in the back. The dashed into the area and apprehended the CEO of his own IT company, surrounding him from being able to do anything else to Yamato and Mashiro.

"Kunihiko Aikawa, you are under arrest for the number of crimes you have committed in Tokyo," man declared as he and his allies stepped forward. It was Isamu, who was holding a tranquilizer gun in his right hand. His expression was solemn as he looked into the eyes of younger man. "It's over, Kunihiko. Your assaults will no longer be conducted in this country, and you will atone for what you've done to the civilians of Japan, as well as my family. Although I didn't kill you—I should have, but I chose not to—it would be wrong to allow you to be free of any struggles. On the other hand, you will face a death sentence while you're in jail waiting for the day to arrive. That doesn't excuse what you've done, but bear with it for now."

Instead of Isamu being the one to handcuff Kunihiko, Nori did that part. Takao took out some rope and tied the lengthy object around the thirty-one-year-old man to secure his inability to escape. Simultaneously, Sophie, Ren, Takamasa and Airi held in their shock of finding out about the bar owner while he was being detained from movement. Then, a woman with long, golden brown hair appeared, standing next to Isamu, and Kunihiko was surprised to see her.

"Hazuno…"

Hazuno Kurumada smiled triumphantly as she looked at the man who had taken away her eldest daughter from her years ago. "We meet again, Kunihiko. Didn't expect to see me again, did you? You miscalculated in your plan to kill me, which is why I'm alive today. Do you know why?"

A woman with silver hair and medium purple eyes stepped up and stood on Hazuno's left. Like the former principal of Seishin Academy, she appeared as youthful as before and was as stoic as her previous appearance.

"Yukino!" Kunihiko's eyes widened again, taking in the betrayal of his subordinate. "How…"

Lia smiled, explaining the details. "This woman saved my mom after you took Onee-chan away and healed her wounds. She was never loyal to you, Kunihiko. In fact, she also joined us after revealing the fact she was part of the Metropolitan Police Department in Tokyo, and helped gather everyone here so you would be arrested. Your subordinates have all been killed by our hands, so there's no one—particularly a lady—to help you out anymore. You're all alone now, so face the truth and go to hell for what you've done."

Kunihiko looked up at Lia and sneered at her. "You little… If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been reunited with your sister. You should be grateful to me for what I did."

"That's where you're wrong," the green-haired idol bounced back gleefully. "The staff at Seishin, including me, planned this all along. Even Yuta was in on it. We were hoping to bring you down and destroy your intentions this whole time, which actually worked!"

Yuta frowned. "What we didn't plan on was the fact you married off Mashiro and Yamato. That was the most shocking thing we found out once you told us (the guys), but Mashiro's and Lia's family came to accept that for the sake of this day. Of course, even the people at Seishin warmed up to the idea, but who would have thought you would do something like this without Isamu and Hazuno's approval? It turned out to be a brilliant success in the name of justice, so I really am glad it happened."

"If you would calmly go with me, Kunihiko," Saburo walked up to the purple-haired man. He was dressed in a suit and was accompanied by Tsubaki, who wore a kimono as always. Next, the two of them took Kunihiko away and headed for the police station, making their ways peacefully out of Rose Blade's hideout.

Isamu and Hazuno went up to Mashiro, finally reunited with their daughter. Without any words, they instantly embraced their long-lost girl. Mashiro smiled tearfully and returned their unconditional feelings. She, too, had missed them. Lia joined them, hurrying over and giving a glomp of her own. The Kurumada's were once again together as a loving family.

Their happiness did not last very long and was quite brief when everyone in the innermost area heard the sound and felt the building begin to collapse. Everyone started to flee the scene and was trying to get outside as fast as they could. But as Sophie and Ren were running, the mangaka tripped on a piece of broken wood and fell.

"Sophie!" Ren dashed to his fiancée's side, and tried to help her up. "Are you okay?"

Sophie glanced at Ren and nodded. "Yeah. It's not much, so I only landed on the floor without any scratches."

Time was not on their side as part of the roof came tumbling down and was about to hit them. Seeing that her sister and future brother-in-law were in harm's way, Cheryl sprinted to their rescue, taking the impact of the piece.

"Cheryl!" Sophie was panicked from the knowledge of her sister saving her and Ren.

A small smile appeared on the older turquoise-haired twin's face as she struggled to kept the roof part off of her body. "It's okay. Just go and get out before you end up like me, Sophie. Save yourself. For my sake." She looked at Ren while still smiling. "Ren, take Sophie away from here. I'm counting on you to take care of her and stay together with her."

Ren nodded and took Sophie's right hand, rushing with her to safety.

"Cheryl!" Even though she knew she couldn't do anything for her sister, she still called out as she and Ren got farther away from her.

Takao went back and took the debris off of Cheryl's back and held her in his arms. She laid in them and continued to smile sadly.

"Takao…" she trailed off, and was happy to see the lawyer. "You came for me…"

"Of course I did," Takao replied. "If I didn't love you, I would have left you to die in here. I want to be here with you, and embrace death together with you, Cheryl. You're… everything to me."

Hearing those words made the elder twin tear up and close her eyes as she smiled delightfully for the last time in her life. The two of them stayed together, and took on the last moments as the structure of the hideout gave way and fell upon the many souls who died within.

At that time, Shuu rushed to find the person who was the most important being in his life. He soon found her sitting down in an unconscious state. "Iroha!" He had been worried about her the whole time, and was by her side.

The black-haired leader of Rose Blade awakened to see the man she loved and was astonished that he was with her. "Shuu… I thought you were gone forever… Why are you here, anyway?"

Shuu frowned. "I was looking for you, silly. I was always trying to after you left the day we graduated from the academy. I even worked myself past my limits while I was with the Guardians to see you again. Didn't you notice anything?"

Iroha shook her head, and her eyes were tear-filled. "Un-un. I never knew. I always loved you, and I still do. But I thought you wouldn't care about me since you were always focused on Mashiro, so I decided to affiliate myself with Rose Blade. I hurt everyone else because I was too jealous of her, but I've been afraid of being hated by you…!" She cried against Shuu's chest, having finally told him her feelings.

Shuu returned Iroha's emotions towards him and wrapped his arms around her. "I've always loved you, Iroha. There was never a time when I fell for anyone else but you. I only admired Tsuneha-san for who she was, and I also thought her skills in fighting were amazing. I'm sorry I didn't give you enough of my attention as I should have, and I'll make up for it when we meet again in our next life. So let's stay together, okay?" He didn't receive much of a response from his high school sweetheart, but he felt her nod, which was more than enough to satisfy him as they didn't let go of one another to the end.

Once they were outside, everyone who survived caught their breaths. It was hard to believe they had escaped from their deaths, but they were alright at least.

"Man," Yuta panted. "We barely made it. How's everyone holding up?"

Lia gave a thumbs-up with her left hand as she stood proudly. "I'm A-OK! That was actually quite the blast, but I loved it."

Seeing Lia's enthusiasm made Airi cringe. "I'm still surprised you can be so carefree when we just ended the war. We also lost some people, you know."

"You mean, a lot of people?" Yuta answered while regaining his composure. There was a different light about him that Airi was beginning to understand, seeing as he was also partnered with the Seishin staff to save Mashiro. "It's not like Lia's being heartless about this, but we have to think of the feelings of those who gave their lives for us. They would have wanted us to live on without getting all depressed about their deaths." He glanced at Sophie and Ren. "It may be too late to say this, but… Don't think that you're at fault for what happened, Sophie. Your sister loved you more than most would in a complex family like yours. Takao also cared about you, too. It wasn't only you they thought of, but also Ren. You two were like the siblings he wanted to add to his big family, and Cheryl was actually fond of having an older brother from another country. So. Always remember that they never thought of you two as burdens, but as their pride and joy. Like any other sibling, they wouldn't throw your lives away to live on for themselves."

Yuta was right. How could an older brother or sister wish for their younger sibling to die in a battlefield? Takao and Cheryl treasured Ren and Sophie as their own keepsakes, and they both felt that tenderness from them.

Sophie nodded. "Cheryl might not have shown her true feelings in the main house, but she always cared in her own way. I knew she never hated me, but I wonder how our parents will feel after finding out about her death. It's always a parents' worst fear to lose any one of their children to something like this, and it's stressful to go through and take it all in so suddenly, but we'll be able to manage. And right after our grandparents left, too. That's even worse to spill it to them since our grandmother made her become the next head of the family when we reached the age of eighteen."

"But I guess you won't have to deal with her anymore," Airi said. Then, she looked up at the sky. "Maybe this war was what freed your sister from the duties of the Kanzaki family. She probably didn't like being caged in that place every second of her life, and wanted to do something that defied the rules your grandmother placed on her. When I think about it, people who are born in wealthy households where there are arranged marriages and family laws tend to live lonely lives, specifically those from kingdoms like Ren's. It must have been painful to grow up in your village, Sophie, and it makes me wonder if losing Cheryl will change her mind about how she's treated you two."

Sophie glanced at the light purple-haired girl. "Who knows?" She turned away, looking forward. "What's worse than having someone you care about die is knowing you were tricked by someone you believed in. That person (Kunihiko) was someone who greatly helped benefit the Kanzaki family, and he opened the door to my happiness. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have become friends with Mashiro. But the fact he used her for his own personal plans is heartbreaking. How does someone find the will to trust another human being if evil is involved? I just don't understand his reasons for doing what he did."

Isamu looked at Sophie with a straight face. "Sophie-kun. If you knew why Kunihiko did all of this, would you still be willing to stay as a friend to your allies? Or, would you cut all ties with the ones you have? The fact he committed unjust deeds doesn't make reality any better for any of us, but we all have to up with what's been done."

"Is that why you didn't kill him when you could have avenged everything he's inflicted on you, Isamu-san?" he turquoise-haired girl inquired inquisitively. "Were you able to… move on from your past because you didn't want to do the same things he did?"

Isamu smiled calmly. "…Even so, I'm not a nice person. It took nearly nine years for this day to come when it could have taken less than that to reunite with Mashiro. I'm not as great a father as I should have been, and I never had many chances to see her without getting into a conflict with Kunihiko. He basically had me wait to see her as it was impossible to sneak in the house he had in Shinjuku when he was present. What's more horrifying than not getting to see my daughter is finding out what he's done to hide the truth from her. If I had done a better job at protecting Mashiro back then, none of this would have taken place, and her amnesia could have been prevented. It was took a toll on me after he separated her from my family, and not getting to see her grow up properly was something I wish Hazuno, Lia and I could have seen together."

"It was actually my fault for the long wait," Yukino admitted. "I knew Kunihiko was a dangerous man when I pretended to work under him, but I didn't bring myself to save Mashiro-san before she was dragged into this war. And I deeply regret that." She looked at Mashiro, who was standing between Hazuno and Yamato, and bowed. "I apologize for putting you through a state of amnesia and allowing Kunihiko to mix up your memories. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I should have been there when you were placed under his care."

Mashiro glanced at the silver-haired stoic and smiled. "No, don't be sorry for my sake. It was because you helped reunited me with everyone here that I was saved from Kunihiko's deceit and desires, so I should be the one thanking you. I was always scared of being away from my family, and somewhere inside me, I longed to be with them. I was lonely but I came to accept things as they were. But the only thing I was grateful towards him was that I got to meet Yamato and those who were close to him, and also Okishima-san." She lowered her eyes, thinking back on the memories she made in the city that was already nostalgic to her, despite having lived there for a short period of time. "I also got to see a new prospect upon being here due to having my real memories clogged up this whole time, so perhaps it wasn't as bad until I remembered everything that made me who I truly was. I do feel frustrated because of Kunihiko, though. Putting someone through so many complexities was more than I would have imagined, but that was part of his hatred, so I don't need anyone to apologize for what happened to me."

Yukino was touched by Mashiro's emotions and commented on the fawn-haired girl. "You really are a wonderful person. I can see why you are loved by those around you, especially your family and your husband. To think you were able to move on from the most excruciating experience you've had to endure until now is a magnificent feat I have never seen from a young lady as kind as you." She shook her head. "No. That wasn't kindness. You chose to put the past behind you and walk towards a brand new future. That's what makes you Mashiro Kurumada, not Mashiro Tsuneha."

Lia smiled. "Technically, she's neither one of those anymore. She's Mashiro Kougami now." She glanced at Yamato and kept smiling. "Right, Yamato-san? Or maybe I should call you Onii-chan from now on. Hehe!"

Yamato looked at the green-haired girl and smiled back. "You really are related to Mashiro, aren't you? But thanks for welcoming me into your family. It really makes me feel better to finally know who my wife's relatives are."

"You're damn right about that," Isamu smirked. His shoulders relaxed gently as he added, "I should thank you for looking after my daughter, Yamato-kun. If not for your meddling personality, Mashiro wouldn't have gotten back her lost memories, and we wouldn't be here today. You really are a great man, even though you're still rough around the edges."

Hazuno gave an eye smile. "So, Yamato-san's not exactly a diamond, but still wanting to be one, right?" She opened her eyes, gazing at her husband. "Looks like he's going to have to work harder if he's going to be like you one day, Honey." Then, she shifted her focus to the auburn-haired man who was in any case, her son-in-law. "However, I do approve of you as part of our family, Yamato-san. Mashiro chose you, so I can't disagree of your marriage since you're the only one who can truly love her more than anyone else. It makes me happy to have someone who cares about her, so thank you for returning her feelings."

"Thank you," Yamato smiled back at his in-laws. He was astounded that they accepted them as their own.

Ren was puzzled about the Kurumada's appearance. "But how did you know about their marriage? We didn't have any information about anyone else knowing that they were having a shotgun wedding here."

Airi sweat-dropped when she heard those words come out of Ren's mouth. "Uh, Ren. Yuta mentioned that they knew about it, so could it be that they've been monitoring us because of his presence in the city?"

Yuta's eyes widen. "Oh, so you really can be intelligent at a time like this, Airi."

Airi frowned; her eyebrows drew towards her nose bridge as her temple set off. "Huh?! What's that supposed to mean, Yuta?!"

Nori applauded the light purple-haired idol's deduction. "Well done there, Airi-san. You were right on the mark. While we were at Seishin trying to find a solution to bring Mashiro back to us, we dispatched Yuta to be an agent years ago while he was in high school. It was the perfect cover because no one suspected him of anything."

"Takao was also in on it," Airi stated. "So, did you guys recruit him as well?"

Nori paused for a few seconds before answering. "Takao, huh. To tell you the truth, I had not expected to encounter him when I was a professor at the law school he attended. Over time, I got to know him, and he mentioned something about a girl he liked. His description of her gave me an assumption that she was related to Sensei."

Sophie blinked. "Me?"

The female undercover agent nodded. "It had something to do with an appearance quite like yours. I never thought much of it until now, though."

_ "Professor Tanaka," a younger Takao began. He was looking at the table surface of where he was sitting and had his elbows on it, reflecting intensely on something. "There's something I'd like to tell you. I have someone I'm very much in love with, but I haven't told most of her relatives about my feelings for her. The only one who knows is her grandfather on her father's side of her family, but I can't bring myself to say anything to her grandmother of all people."_

_ Nori, who wore a white lab coat, mused on the subject. "Hnn? So you do have someone special to you, after all, Takao. Who is this girl you're enticed with, if you're going to say anything to me about her? She must be quite the beautiful one if you're intent to loving her."_

_ "Well…" the aspiring law student trailed off. "She's from a well-known family in a distant village in the country. You're correct about her being beautiful, but her grandmother is strict on her, along with her younger sister and mother. She has long, turquoise hair with the most attractive pale iced eyes, and is very indifferent at home. But you see, that's not who she really is—it's a front she's carefully crafted to uphold her grandmother's expectations. Outside of her home, she's actually a very affectionate and splendid person. We met at her sister's engagement party, and I've taken her out a few times. She's actually a goddess to my eyes, and I love everything about her."_

_ Nori tilted her head to her left. "It's not like you know everything about the person you love, right? There's nothing we mortals can do to find that out what one goes through, especially not all of their memories and feelings. But from what I've heard, your lover reminds me of someone I've looked after for a long time. She sounds just like her, but I can't tell you much."_

_ Takao looked up with a concerned expression sewn on his face. "Um… Professor?"_

_ "What is it?" the dark-haired female asked._

_ "Are you… really going to leave?"_

_ Seeing the sad look on Takao's face, Nori smiled tenderly. "Of course I am. I have something I have to do, so that's why I'm quitting this job. But thank you for taking the time to ask me, anyway. I was glad to have you as a student, albeit the time I spent her was short. Good luck, Takao. I'm sure you'll make a great lawyer one day."_

_ That was all she said to him before her departure to concentrate on her main career._

"It never occurred to me that the person he loved was your elder sister," Nori continued. "But it seems he genuinely wanted to take in all of her pain and stay with her until the end. I don't have any regrets about having him as a student, but if I had known more about him, I would have prevented his and Cheryl-san's demises."

Takamasa sighed. "I knew he was hiding something from all of us, but I can't believe he didn't say anything about it. He really was on the side of justice, huh. I don't know if I should write about him or not." He laughed in a dry manner and looked at the ground.

"Taka-kun…" Airi reached her right hand out and held onto her boyfriend's white sleeve. It was the only thing she could do for him at that moment.

Yamato saw his friends' expression and said, "Even if they're not with us, they'll still be in our hearts and memories. Let's not forget that they did everything for our sakes, and honor those feelings as a sign of appreciation for their sacrifices. Besides, it's the least we can do for those who loved or hated us, along with the ones who either knew us or didn't know a thing about our identities."

Mashiro smiled softly and took Yamato's right hand in her left. Everyone else smiled as well and felt the same way. The people who were dear to them, and even those who weren't as important in their lives, didn't pass on for nothing, but they still fought for their own reasons. Every person was born into this world as an innocent existence, yet their feelings molded them into who they eventually came to be. Good or evil, they still deserved to be engraved into history. 

**Epilogue**

**Yamato's POV**

_ Shortly after we held a fire to burn down the warehouse Rose Blade had used as their hideout for the final battle between the Seishin Guardians and its remaining members, news reporters sent out an article about everything that had happened: Kuni's crimes from the when he started to act out on revenge, the 1995 incident involving Seishin Academy's ambush and invasion, and everything else that Rose Blade did to wrong the country. We also closed down Kuni's company and Long Island. Those who fought and lost their lives in the Seishin-Rose Blade War are still carved into our hearts, and of course the Kanzaki and Maruyama families were anguished by the loss of Takao and Cheryl. Shuu Ohara and Iroha Murakami were also honored, and Mashiro, the authorities from Seishin, the rest of our group and I brought them flowers at the very lot the battle took place. I visited Kuni and I felt dejected that the man who was my baseball coach was actually the ringmaster of the crimes that terrorized Japan, but I accepted that fact, and thanked him once again for letting fate take its course by bringing Mashiro into my life and for going to prison for hurting others besides my friends and family. The only things I didn't do were forgive him for anything and go to see him again, even on the day his death sentence was to be carried out. I also met up with my father at my mother's grave with Mashiro and her family. Oh, and Yuta was also there with us. We introduced ourselves and I told him the truth about who I was. We also greeted Mom and ate outside for a change of pace. Yeah, at the cemetery. One of the strangest things any group of people could ever do, but I'm sure Mom was jubilant about it since it was basically a family reunion. Sounds like a happy ending right? Not exactly._

_ A few days after that, Mashiro and I found out—along with our friends—Lia had pushed herself too much when she was training to fight in Seishin up to the last battle while having muscle disruptions in her lower legs, which resulted in her astasis—a condition in which a person is unable to walk, stand, and/or sit without another's assistance due to a lack of motor coordination. She fell forward in the mansion the Kurumada's have been living in just before she reached the stairs and was paralyzed, so now she's in a wheelchair. Mashiro, Yuta and I help push her around; Yuta wouldn't let Isamu or Hazuno do anything about it which was kinda funny, unlike his jokes. He's her main caretaker and I have a feeling he'll kneel down to propose to her one day. Maybe he'll even marry her like that. Haha! What's more is that on the first day of June, Ren and Sophie held their wedding back in Ren's country. Everyone was invited to it and we had a fantastic time there. Kind of makes one wonder how we brought Lia there, but we still managed to do it. Later on, Airi and Saeki finished working on the drama that became popular all over Tokyo and the rest of the country. Here's the most surprising thing to me. After the after party they had gone to, Airi became an employee at a visual company the day after she quit being an idol, and Isamu announced Lia's astasis to everyone at a press conference they held. Everyone besides our group was shocked and it took a while to die out. Turns out, Airi's dream was to work on visual novels and Lia wanted to live a normal life again. I don't know if staying in a wheelchair the rest of her life counts as being "normal" but it might as well be since she got to stay with her family again._

_ Years passed by, and we all drifted apart from each other. I moved into the mansion with Mashiro, so I'm currently living with her family and Yuta in Shinjuku. I still teach physics to my students, but Yuta works as an actor for a lot of dramas now. Isamu's still the CEO of his talent agency and Mashiro composes songs for idols and singers; Hazuno stays with Lia during the day, so Yuta's finally compromised on letting others take care of her. As for my dad, he's now the current principal of Seishin Academy and he came along with us to Shinjuku so we could all stay together. We also moved Mom's gravestone and ashes to the nearest burial ground here and we visit here frequently._

_ It was pretty hectic when I first met Mashiro. I never would have thought I'd marry the woman who suddenly came into my life. We started out as strangers but I fell in love with her before I knew it, and she felt the same way about me. We went through what a married couple did and got into an argument like one, leading to the most stunning turn of events. But we were finally reunited with one another, and we decided to continue remembering those who risked their lives in the final battle. I don't regret what all of us went through, and I'm glad I met Mashiro. Because of her, I was finally able to move on from my darkest feelings of bitterness and put them behind me. Together with Mashiro, I continue to live my life while feeling grateful to the ones I'll never forget. These memories will stay with me even after death and I'll carry on living with them into an era of eternal bliss._

**Author's Note**

** Wow, I would have never thought that I could write a finale as long as this. Typing over 19,000 words really makes me happy, but it was also time-consuming during the process. Anyway, thank you for those of you read **_**My Not-so-Forged Wedding**_**. It was truly an amazing experience to write something like this, and it moved my own heart to think of how everything would come in place. I did a lot to make Yamato the main character and have him grow as a person, and it was something I really liked while I was writing the story. Building him into a more levelheaded young man was an awesome challenge on my part, but I still put more effort in him than most of the guys. Still, I hope you guys liked reading this fanfic, and I hope to make another work that can be as incredible as this.**

** —SuzunoKoi**


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